First deepwater circular drilling rig completed

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 7 -- The COSCO Shipyard Group's Qidong shipyard recently completed construction of the Sevan Driller, the world's first deepwater circular drilling rig, Sevan Marine ASA reports.

Sevan Marine owns the rig and designed it to drill to 40,000 ft and in 12,500 ft of water. The rig has a 150,000 bbl of oil internal storage capacity and a variable deckload of more than 15,000 tonnes.

Rig construction started at the COSCO Nantong shipyard in May 2007 and moved to COSCO’s Qidong shipyard in April for derrick erection and final commissioning activities.

Sevan Marine says the rig, due for delivery in the third quarter, has a 6-year fixed contract with Petroleo Brasileiro SA for work in the Santos basin, off Brazil.