Seadrill rig wraps up North Sea drilling campaign and comes to Norwegian yard

Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill has finished its drilling assignment at a field life extension project in the North Sea off the coast of Norway, which enabled its semi-submersible rig to go to a yard in Bergen.

Vår Energi hired Seadrill’s West Phoenix rig in December 2019 for operations at the Balder field, as part of the Balder Future re-development project in the North Sea, offshore Norway. This project is part of the Norwegian player’s attempts to prolong the production lifetime of the Balder and Ringhorne fields to 2045.

The offshore drilling player’s rig was picked to spud production and injection wells on the Balder field from Q2 2021 to Q3 2023. The total contract value covering the firm portion of the deal for the West Phoenix rig was expected to be around $302 million.

According to Semco Maritime, the West Phoenix, which has completed its work for Vår Energi, has returned to its yard in Hanøytangen, Bergen, for demobilization activities. The Balder Future project is a part of the Balder X project with the target to recover around 200 million barrels of additional reserves from the Balder-Ringhorne area in the North Sea.

The re-float and heavy lift installations were completed for the upgrade of the FPSO Jotun. The capex estimate increased by approximately $340 million (about NOK 3.6 billion) net pre-tax to Vår Energi. The West Phoenix rig underwent the installation of a controlled mud level (CML) system in September 2023 as a form of managed pressure drilling (MPD).

Simon Wall, VP Global Sales & Proposals at Semco Maritime Rig Projects, commented: “This marks yet another chapter in our ongoing partnership with Seadrill, and we are honored to continue this close cooperation. The return of the West Phoenix to our yard is not just a testament to the trust Seadrill places in us, but also a reflection of our commitment to maintaining high standards of quality, efficiency, and safety in every project we undertake. Safety remains our top priority as we embark on this new phase of work.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of the demobilization process is carried out with the utmost care and attention. Our team is fully prepared to execute these activities in a safe and efficient manner, adhering to all industry standards and best practices. We believe that a strong safety culture is the foundation for successful operations, and we will continue to foster this environment throughout the West Phoenix’s stay at our yard.”

The 2008-built West Phoenix is a sixth-generation rig of Moss CS50 MkII-DP design, which can accommodate 128 people. With a maximum drilling depth of 9,000 meters, the rig is capable of operating at a water depth of 2,400 meters.