For the second week in a row, global offshore drilling activity continued its recovery, with improvements in contracted units in the North Sea, southeast Asia and West Africa
Overall, the number of contracted offshore jack-up rigs drilling globally reached 324 and floaters 107, the highest levels either has seen in eight weeks. As detailed by Westwood Global Energy’s RigLogix, during week 35 2020, there are 20 jack-ups drilling in the North Sea and 30 in southeast Asia, both an increase of one unit week-on-week. Middle East drilling in shallow water held steady at 118 units.
In deeper waters, floater activity grew week-on-week by two units, highlighted by seven rigs drilling in West Africa and 20 units in the North Sea.
For its Ula field offshore Norway, Aker BP has awarded an additional one-well contract to Maersk Drilling’s low-emissions jack-rig Maersk Integrator to drill the Ula F – Producer 1 well in direct continuation of its previously announced work scope. The contract has an estimated duration of 85 days and is expected to commence in April 2021. The contract value is approximately US$21.6M, excluding integrated services provided and a potential performance bonus.
Maersk Integrator is contracted under the terms of the frame agreement between Maersk Drilling and Aker BP entered into in 2017 as part of the Aker BP Jack-up Alliance which also includes Halliburton. The tripartite alliance uses a shared incentives model, securing mutual commitment to collaborate and drive digital initiatives to reduce waste and deliver value. Contracts under the alliance are based on market-rate terms but add the possibility of an upside for all parties, based on actual delivery and performance.
“Our alliance with Aker BP and Halliburton is enabling new ways of working as one team across the value chain, and our close collaboration also allows greater flexibility in future well planning, so additional wells can be committed to as plans mature,” said Maersk Drilling chief operating officer Morten Kelstrup. “We have achieved impressive efficiency gains in the alliance, and this also translates into a reduction of the CO2 emissions associated with drilling. The upgrades currently being performed on Maersk Integrator will improve our emissions profile even further,” added Mr Kelstrup.
An ultra-harsh environment CJ70 XLE jack-up rig, Maersk Integrator is finalising its scheduled special periodic survey (SPS) offshore Norway. Once it completes its upgrade to a hybrid, low-emissions rig, Maersk Integrator will move to the Ivar Aasen field for Aker BP.