By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 5-- Saipem SPA's Scarabeo 5 drilling rig arrived Aug. 1 at Kristin field in the Norwegian Sea and spudded the first well, 6406/2-S-3H, Aug. 3. Scarabeo has been chartered for 36 months, operator Statoil SA said.
Two rigs will drill 12 wells at the field, with the West Alpha rig scheduled to arrive later this year. Production is due to start Oct. 1, 2005.
Reservoir conditions are challenging, Statoil said, with a pressure of 910 bar and a temperature of 170°C. "We've given great weight to using in-house experience and expertise in meeting these challenges and doing the job in a safe and secure manner," said drilling operations head Severin Longva. "Experience has also been secured from other companies, and we've prepared a special high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) manual. Eighty people in key positions on the rig and at the operations office have taken a Kristin-specific HPHT course."
Statoil holds 46.6% interest in Kristin, and other licensees are Petoro SA 18.9%, Norsk Hydro AS 12%, ExxonMobil Corp. 10.5%, Norsk Agip 9%, and Total SA 3%.
