Maersk Drilling’s giant rig XLE-2 finally in Stavanger

Following a 12,345 nautical miles long journey from Singapore, the XLE-2 drilling rig, dubbed largest of the kind in the world, has arrived in Stavanger, Norway.

Loaded on a 223 meters long heavy-lift transportation vessel, the Hawk, the ultra-harsh environment rig has arrived in Stavanger this morning and is in the process of anchoring up in the fjord.

The rig was built by Keppel in Singapore, and is owned by a Danish drilling contractor, Maersk Drilling.

The naming ceremony for the rig will be held in Stavanger, prior to it starting its five-year contract with Det norske in the North Sea.

This is Maersk Drilling’s second rig of the XLE type. The first, the Maersk Intrepid, in August received an approval from Norwegian authorities, clearing the rig for work on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The Maersk Intrepid will work for Total oil company, drilling wells on the Martin Linge field development in the Norwegian North Sea.

XLE rig

With a leg length of 206.8 m (678 ft) the rigs are the world’s largest jack-up rigs and are designed for year round operation in the North Sea, in water depths up to 150 m (492 ft).

According to Maersk Drilling, The XLE rig’s living quarters can accommodate up to 150 people in one-man cabins versus the current maximum of 120 in two-man cabins.

XLE2 coming to Norway from Maersk Drilling on Vimeo.