Three Transocean deepwater units start up

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 25 -- Transocean Ltd. has started up three new ultradeepwater drilling units in the Gulf of Mexico and off Angola.

Most recently, Transocean said the Development Driller III semisubmersible had begun operations in the Gulf of Mexico under a 7-year contract with BP PLC (OGJ, Mar. 20, 2006, Newsletter).

The dual-activity rig can drill to 35,000 ft in 7,500 ft of water. The capacities can be upgraded to 37,500 ft in 10,000 ft of water.

Also in the Gulf of Mexico, the Transocean Discoverer Americas drillship began work for Statoil Gulf of Mexico under a 4-year contract (OGJ Online, Aug. 14, 2009).

The dual-activity drillship can drill to 40,000 ft in 12,000 ft of water.

Off Angola, the Transocean Petrobras 10000 drillship began operating under a 10-year contract with a unit of Petroleo Brasileiro SA. Transocean acquired the ship under a 20-year capital lease contract with P&M Drilling International BV, a joint venture of Petrobras and Mitsui.

The dual-activity ship has a water-depth capacity exceeding 10,000 ft.