KrisEnergy hires PV Drilling jack-up for Cambodia drilling

Singapore’s KrisEnergy has hired a jack-up drilling rig operated by PV Drilling for drilling operations on the Apsara development located offshore Cambodia.

KrisEnergy said on Thursday that a letter of award has been agreed with PV Drilling for the PVD III jack-up rig.

The rig was hired to drill five development wells on the Apsara Mini-Phase 1A development.

PV DRILLING III is a KFELS MOD V B class jack-up rig. The 2009-built rig is capable of operating in water depths up to 400 feet. 

KrisEnergy at the end of April secured a loan to fund the near-term development project in Cambodia’s offshore Block A.

The loan facility will be used for, among other things, the funding of the development of the company’s near-term development project at Cambodia Block A, an offshore development oil and gas asset located in the Khmer Basin of the Gulf of Thailand, with approximately 3,083 square kilometres of gross acreage in which the KrisEnergy has an aggregate working interest of 95 per cent.

It is also worth reminding that the Cambodian government has extended the deadline for first oil production to be achieved by 31 December 2020, failing which consequences could include the termination of the concession rights for Cambodia Block A.

KrisEnergy said that, although restrictive COVID-19 measures have curtailed personnel movement and delayed delivery of some materials and equipment, progress has continued in 1H2020 on the main components of the infrastructure for the Block A Apsara oil development project.

The jacket and topsides for the Apsara minimum facilities wellhead platform are under fabrication in Batam Island, Indonesia. Work at the facility has continued throughout 1H2020 despite COVID-19 restrictions.

The 4th and final section of the jacket frame was lifted into place in July 2020 and all welding has been completed. The full structure of the topside is completed and integration of pipework, electrical and instrument equipment is ongoing.

The Mini-Platform is scheduled to load and sail to the Apsara field location by the end of August 2020.

Work was suspended in Singapore shipyard facilities in late April 2020 including the Gul shipyard where the Ingenium II production barge for the Apsara development is under upgrade and refurbishment.

Limited personnel were permitted entry to the Gul yard on 2 June 2020 to resume works. The vessel is nearing mechanical completion.

Installation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was completed in July 2020 and the powergen system is running.

The vessel will shortly go into one month of commissioning required for safety systems, fire and gas systems, process control systems, electrical power distribution systems, as well as accommodation and mooring systems.

In addition to the drilling rig contract, contracts have been awarded for the transport and installation of the production barge and Mini-Platform.