Odfjell takes over drilling and maintenance ops at ConocoPhillips’ Ekofisk

Offshore driller Odfjell Drilling has taken over platform drilling and maintenance operations at ConocoPhillips’ Ekofisk Area in the North Sea, offshore Norway.

This move marks the start of the contract signed between the two companies back in mid-December 2019.

The contract, awarded by ConocoPhillips’ wholly-owned subsidiary ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS, is for drilling operations, work-over campaigns, plug and abandonment activities, and all preventative and corrective maintenance of ConocoPhillips’ drilling facilities on three offshore platforms in the Greater Ekofisk Area.

The contract period is for five years, with an option to extend two times, each time by up to three years. The agreed start date at the time was scheduled to be in the third quarter of 2020 and practically started on 15 July 2020.

“We are thrilled to take over the drilling and maintenance contract for Greater Ekofisk area for ConocoPhillips”, the company stated via its social media channels. Also, the EVP of platform drilling Elisabeth Haram welcomed 170 colleagues joining Odfjell Drilling for the project.

As for the Greater Ekofisk Area, it is located in the southern part of the North Sea, 300 kilometres southwest of Stavanger.

In addition to the Ekofisk field, the area consists of the producing fields Eldfisk and Embla, both of which are part of production license 018. All three fields are operated by ConocoPhillips.

Several of the installations are no longer in use, and many have been removed and disposed of. The rest of the complex has been re-developed and prepared to work for the next 40 years.

Oil is exported to Teesside, England, and the natural gas is exported to Emden, Germany. According to previous statements made by ConocoPhillips, continued development drilling in the Greater Ekofisk Area is expected to contribute additional production over the coming years as new wells come online.