WATCH: Valaris rig goes to play its role in North Sea gas asset’s rebirth as EU’s CCS playground

A jack-up rig, owned by the Bermuda-headquartered offshore drilling contractor Valaris, has come to the North Sea to do its part in helping a gas field and its infrastructure to get a new lease on life off the coast of the Netherlands as the first CO2 transport and storage project in the European Union (EU).

Valaris secured a six-well contract for the Valaris 123 heavy-duty harsh environment jack-up rig with TAQA in November 2023 for the first large-scale Dutch CCS project, known as the Port of Rotterdam CO2 transport hub and offshore storage (Porthos) project, a joint venture between EBN, Gasunie, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority in the Dutch North Sea.

The contract, scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2024, has a minimum duration of 170 days and comes with options for up to ten wells with an estimated total duration of 300 days. According to Valaris’ fleet status report, the rig came on hire in February 2025 after finishing its job with Shell in the UK. The operating day rate is $153,000 and will increase to $163,000 effective January 1, 2026.

The rig owner has now confirmed the return of the Valaris 123 rig to the Porthos carbon transport and storage project in the Netherlands to carry out its offshore activities. The 2019-built Valaris 123 Keppel FELS, Ultra-Enhanced Super ‘A’ Class jack-up rig, comes with a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet (12.19 kilometers) and can accommodate 145 people.

Bram van Zelm, Valaris’ Operations Manager, commented: “We look forward to a safe and productive campaign with TAQA Group, Porthos, and all those involved as we take the next collaborative step in this ambitious project. A special thanks to Offshore Marine Contractors, and everyone who contributed to the successful mobilization.”
 
Porthos, which is described as the first large-scale CO2 transport and storage project in the Netherlands, is expected to play a key role in reducing industrial CO2 emissions and achieving the country’s 2030 climate goals. To this end, TAQA’s P18-A gas production platform and its associated wells and gas fields under the Dutch North Sea are going to be given a new purpose soon.

Valaris rig comes to North Sea to work on bringing Porthos to life

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Going from gas production to CO2 storage, the P18-A platform is anticipated to become a new destination for offshore infrastructure, as gas production ceased as of March 26 and preparations are on the brink of starting to convert the platform and its wells for the safe, permanent storage of CO2 beneath the seabed.

Currently owned by TAQA, the platform, wells, and associated fields are slated to be transferred to Porthos later this year. This project, which will store around 37 million tons of CO2 – about 2.5 million tons of CO2 per year for 15 years – is scheduled to be operational from 2026.

René Zwanepol, Managing Director of TAQA, highlighted: “TAQA has produced 17 billion m³ of gas from these fields since the start in 1993 and contributed to an affordable and reliable supply of gas for industries, businesses and communities.

“We are pleased that the infrastructure will now be given a new purpose that will benefit the energy transition in the Netherlands. Reuse is smarter and cheaper than building new platforms, wells and other facilities.”

The Porthos project is said to be the first CO2 transport and storage project in the EU, which will enable CO2 from industry in the Port of Rotterdam to be transported via an underground pipeline and permanently stored under the North Sea.  

Hans Meeuwsen, Project Director of Porthos, underlined: “For Porthos, the conversion of P18-block is the beginning of a new phase in the construction of the CO₂ storage infrastructure.

“Not only will the platform be given a new function, but it will also be made more sustainable with solar panels and wind turbines. The conversion of the platform is expected to be completed by the end of this year.”

Multiple players are working on putting all the puzzle pieces together to breathe life into Porthos, including Allseas, Expro, MAN Energy Solutions, and KCI.