By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 5 -- Statoil let a $2.47 billion contract to Songa Offshore for the construction of two semisubmersible drilling rigs for use off Norway.
Each rig's contract is for a fixed, 8-year charter with four 3-year options.
The rigs are designed for operating in 100-500 m of water and drilling to 8,500 m.
Statoil designates the rigs as Category D, which are rigs designed for drilling and completing wells in mature fields and operating 20% more efficiently than currently available rigs.
Statoil expects to start using the rigs first on the Troll field in second-half 2014.
Songa has assigned the rig construction work to the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering yard in South Korea. It has picked Aker Solutions as the supplier of the drilling equipment.
The 3-month mobilization from the yard in South Korea to the North Sea is included in the contract value.
Statoil may contract for two more category D rigs. It may exercise its option with Songa for the rigs, but also continues to evaluate other received bids.
Photo from Esso SAF.
Map from Petrobras.
