Brazil-bound seven-gen drillship all set for inaugural drilling job with Petrobras (Gallery)

With upgrades and sea trials now out of the way, a newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship is ready to embark on a voyage to Brazil, where it will begin its maiden offshore drilling assignment with the South American country’s energy giant Petrobras.

Once Eldorado Drilling, an offshore drilling player backed by a group of well-known Norwegian investors, acquired the Zonda, former Pacific Zonda, and another newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship from Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in 2023, the rig duo was slated for delivery in 2024.

Pelago Management’s collaborative venture with Eldorado Drilling started in September 2023, after being picked as the designated project manager to oversee the entire process, ranging from delivery of the seventh-generation newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship from Samsung Heavy Industries in Geoje to operational readiness and beyond.

As Pelago Management’s venture with Eldorado Drilling oversees the interests of the Zonda, Dorado, and West Draco drillship owners, the other drillship, Dorado, previously known as West Dorado, also finished its first voyage from Samsung Heavy Industries and came to Seatrium’s yard.

The Dorado drillship went on its first trip from Samsung Heavy Industries in Geoje, South Korea, to Labuan, Malaysia, on April 6. The rig reached Labuan 12 days later on April 18. The deal for the rig, originally ordered in 2013 by Seadrill, was canceled in the wake of the offshore drilling contractor’s restructuring quest in 2018.

Diamond Offshore, now part of Noble Corporation, struck a deal to secure marketing rights for Eldorado Drilling’s West Dorado and West Draco drillships, which were to be marketed in Brazil, Latin America, West Africa, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In addition, the drilling player made a deal with the owner of the Tidal Action drillship a few months ago to market its rig in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Hanwha Drilling awarded Brazil’s Ventura Offshore the exclusive marketing rights for the same drillship two months later.

The team at Pelago, along with Eldorado Drilling and Ventura Offshore has been monitoring the steps being executed to make the rig ready for work offshore Brazil. To this end, the Atlantic Zonda drillship went from SHI to Seatrium shipyard in Singapore to undergo comprehensive upgrades.

Pelago Management outlined: “We are excited to share the journey of Project Zonda, managed by Pelago Management. Following the initial delivery of the Atlantic Zonda vessel from Samsung Heavy Industries and the execution of contractual upgrades at Seatrium in Singapore, the vessel has successfully completed sea trials in the South China Sea. It is now prepared for the next phase, which includes its voyage to Brazil and finalizing the acceptance program with Petrobras.”

The rig’s preparations for drilling operations in Brazil entailed the installation of critical systems such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and managed pressure drilling (MPD), remotely operated vehicle (ROV) enhancements, and a cuttings dryer system, addressing equipment obsolescence by upgrading the dynamic positioning (DP) system, vessel management system, and drilling control system.

In addition, six thrusters were overhauled to ensure optimal performance, and modifications were implemented to meet Brazilian regulations and industry standards. The rig was also prepared for operations by establishing a safety management system, vessel maintenance system, and safety case, and purchasing spare parts, consumables, tools, and tubulars required for the operational phase.
 
Pelago highlighted: “We have fostered a strong collaboration with the drilling contractor, Ventura Offshore, reinforcing our commitment to operational excellence! We would like to thank the project team at Seatrium, NOV, Kongsberg Maritime, DNV, Inchcape Shipping Services, Crystal Offshore Middle East, and many more for their hard work and dedication to making Project Zonda a resounding success! We are excited for what’s next as we continue to pave the way for innovation and efficiency in the industry.”

Built based on the Samsung 96K design, the Atlantic Zonda drillship is said to be among the world’s most capable seven-generation dual-activity drillships capable of drilling operations in water depths of 12,000 ft. The rig has six thrusters with a capacity of 4,500 KW each and a total hook load of 1,250 t with a variable deck load of 22,000 mt.

Petrobras recently increased its exploration capex to develop new frontiers and expand production, with $73.5 billion earmarked for 2024-2028. The Brazilian state-owned energy player also revealed its giant tender for subsea trees in July 2024. This $500 million-plus tender is for 82 subsea trees. The firm plans to have 14 additional FPSOs by 2028 and intends to drill 50 new wells between 2024-2028.

As a result, 25 new wells will be drilled in Southeast Basins, 16 in the Equatorial Margin, and 9 in other countries. The ‘Strategic Plan 2024-2028‘ emphasizes Petrobras’ intention to dish out $102 billion over the next five years, with $11.5 billion earmarked for projects propelling its decarbonization agenda forward. 

Recently, Hanwha Drilling, part of South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, won its first multimillion-dollar contract for the Total Action seventh-generation drillship, which will work off the coast of Brazil for Petrobras.