Diamond Offshore drillship fleet to sport managed pressure drilling systems by year-end

Texas-headquartered offshore drilling contractor Diamond Offshore Drilling is working on bolstering the capabilities of its drillships by equipping them with a managed pressure drilling (MPD) system.  

Diamond Offshore highlighted its “significant milestones” in MPD implementation over the past 14 months, as four vessels drilled wells with what is said to be a remarkably narrow 0.2 ppg drilling window, representing an 86% reduction compared to conventional methods.

The rig owner, which introduced MPD Supervisors offshore in early 2024 to optimize operations, believes it has distinguished itself as “a pioneer” in deepwater surface back pressure completions in the Gulf of Mexico, underscoring its approach in the offshore drilling sector.

The upgrades are expected to be over by the end of 2024, enabling 100% of Diamond Offshore’s drillships to be furnished with the MPD system, allowing the firm to compete for the highest day rates in the seventh-generation drillship market. This will enable the firm to execute wells more safely and efficiently with better management of the pore pressure.

The company’s seventh-generation drillships include the 2014-built Ocean BlackHawk working for Oxy in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Ocean BlackHornet working for BP in the same region, the 2015-built Ocean BlackLion which is also working for BP in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and the 2014-built Ocean BlackRhino working in Senegal for Woodside.

The last rig is expected to move to Guinea-Bissau in August 2024 to undertake an assignment with an undisclosed company, after which it is slated to go to Ivory Coast in December 2024, where it will carry out operations for Foxtrot.

“Looking ahead, Diamond Offshore remains steadfast in its pursuit of advancing MPD capabilities, guided by a commitment to innovation, operational efficiency and client satisfaction. As industry standards evolve, we are ready to leverage our expertise and partnerships to redefine excellence in MPD operations,” outlined Dimond Offshore.

Recently, Diamond Offshore secured the marketing rights for three seventh-generation drillships: West Dorado, West Draco, and Tidal Action. The U.S. player’s rigs are expected to join Noble Corporation’s fleet, as the latter has taken steps to enlarge its fleet to 41 rigs, encompassing 28 floaters and 13 jack-ups.