Enhanced Drilling secures five-year contract with Equinor

Norway’s Enhanced Drilling has announced a new five-year contract with Equinor, including the use of all Enhanced Drilling technologies.

This frame agreement, which took effect on February 1, 2024, is the first of its kind for Enhanced Drilling. It is for operations on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), with an intent of global use in the future. 

“We are thrilled to announce the continuation and expansion of our enduring collaboration with Equinor through this comprehensive frame agreement,” said Kjetil Lunde, CEO of Enhanced Drilling.

“We look forward to leveraging our cutting-edge technologies, including CTS, RMR, MPC, EC-Drill, and EC-Drill dual MPD, to enhance Equinor’s operational efficiency and contribute to the success of their projects. We are excited about the collaborative opportunities that lie ahead in shaping the future of the oil and gas industry.”

Included in the frame agreement is EC-Drill, a controlled mud level (CML) system designed to regulate wellbore pressure, utilizing a subsea pump connected to the riser. The system operates alongside subsea annulars to ensure full pressure control in all sections of the well.

Enhanced Drilling will also deliver the cutting transportation system (CTS), which removes cuttings from the well area during top-hole drilling on semisubmersible rigs and clean-up operations on the seabed. 

Additionally, the riserless mud recovery (RMR) system serves as a risk reduction tool, facilitating drilling with stability in top-hole sections. This results in safer, faster operations with a reduced environmental footprint, said the company. 

Furthermore, the managed pressure cementing (MPC) system ensures the safe isolation of problematic zones cost-effectively, even in narrow pressure window conditions.

Within the frame agreement, EC-Drill Dual MPD is also incorporated, featuring a managed pressure drilling MPD system that integrates two MPD techniques. This technology primarily functions in CML mode but can transition to surface back pressure mode.

In terms of recent news coming from the firm, Equinor received consent from the country’s offshore safety regulator to use one of the semi-submersible rigs owned by Odfjell Drilling, an offshore drilling contractor, for exploration activities in the North Sea off Norway.

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Equinor consent for exploration drilling in the North Sea for wells 15/3-13 S and 15/3-13 A. These exploration activities will enable the Norwegian energy giant to spud the Brokk prospect, which lies in a water depth of 110 meters.