Trio to set up center for offshore rigs design in Russia

Rosneft, Keppel Offshore & Marine and MH Wirth have signed shareholders’ agreement on establishing a Joint Venture (JV) for the creation of Design and Engineering Center for offshore drilling rigs in Russia.

The main tasks of the center established by the JV (Rosneft – 45%, Keppel Offshore & Marine – 45%, MH Wirth – 10%) will be the design of drilling rigs for offshore work, engineering and commercial activity.

Rosneft stated that the agreement provides for design, engineering and commercial activity by the center to support projects at the Zvezda Shipbuilding complex in Vladivostok as well as attraction of orders from other Russian and international companies. The center will be also engaged in training in the area of engineering and design.

Keppel said that the initial projects undertaken by the center would be from Rosneft for design and engineering work related to shallow water platforms. It will also look to take on work from other Russian and international customers, Keppel added.

According to Rosneft, the document signed starts a new stage in the creation of the rigs for offshore exploration and production by Rosneft.

Commenting on the signing, Rosneft Chairman of the Management Board Igor Sechin said: “We are pleased that it will be an international consortium to design the new equipment – created by Rosneft together with the world leading offshore rig designer and builder from Singapore, and a world leading supplier of drilling equipment and technologies from Norway.”