JDC rig duo stays at giant Al Shaheen oilfield off Qatar

Qatari North Oil Company (NOC) has extended drilling contracts for a Japanese jack-up rig duo at the giant Al Shaheen offshore oil field in Qatar.

JDC said on Monday that the extensions were one year long for each rig for work on the giant Al-Shaheen offshore oil field in Qatar.

NOC, a JV between Qatar Petroleum and Total, granted the extension through exercising its second option under 2 years firm + 2 x 1-year option contracts.

The two rigs in question are the 2008-built Hakuryu-10 and 2015-built Hakuryu-12 jack-up rigs. The former will start work under the extension on 12 February 2021 while the Hakuryu-12 will start on 13 September 2020.

The Al Shaheen oil field is located in Qatari waters 80 kilometres north of Ras Laffan with offshore facilities consisting of 33 platforms, and more than 300 wells.

The oil field, situated off the northeast coast of Qatar, produces 100 million barrels per year. This comprises 45 per cent of Qatar’s total oil production.

It is Qatar’s largest offshore oil field and one of the largest offshore oil fields in the world. The field started production in 1994.

To remind, the first extension options under the deal were awarded back in late July 2019.

It is also worth noting that Total entered the JV to operate the field in 2017, beating Maersk Oil’s bid to continue operating the field for another 25 years. Total then in March 2018 bought Maersk Oil as well.