Offshore drilling contractor Stena Drilling has taken supply of its seventh technology Stena Evolution ultra-deepwater drillship from Samsung Heavy Industries.
After a decade within the making, Stena Evolution drillship has lastly been accomplished and is prepared for its first job.
The technologically superior drillship is able to working at water depths of as much as 12,000ft (round 3,500 meters) and drilling depths as much as 40,000ft (over 12,000 meters).
The drilling unit makes use of riser storage in hull to supply intensive deck area with a 24,000MT VDL.
In addition, the vessel is a chief candidate for upgrading for 20,000 psi effectively operations, in response to Stena Drilling.
Stena Drilling took supply of the unit at Samsung Heay Industries’ shipyard on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
The drillship is scheduled to go away South Korea on Friday, January 19, to go for its first task with Shell in Gulf of Mexico, through Singapore and South Africa.
In 2023, Shell and Stena Drilling agreed a long-term scope of work for Stena Evolution, for a main time period of 5 years, and with an choice to increase the contract upon completion.
Erik Ronsberg, CEO of Stena Drilling, has confirmed for Offshore Engineer that the drilling unit is anticipated to begin operations with Shell this April.
To remind, the drillship was initially ordered by Ocean Rig in 2014.
After agreeing on the newbuild rig supply delays with Samsung in 2016, the drilling agency was then purchased by Transocean in 2018, which subsequently canceled orders for 2 drillships initially submitted by Ocean Rig – the Ocean Rig Santorini and the Ocean Rig Crete.
The first of the two drillships was acquired by Saipem in 2022, following a charter deal with Samsung Heavy Industries with an choice to purchase that was signed in 2021.
In December the identical yr, Stena Drilling entered a purchase option agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries as effectively for the Ocean Rig Crete drillship, that was later renamed to Stena Evolution.
Currently, Stena Drilling’s fleet consists of 5 drillships (Stena Evolution, Stena Carron, Stena Drillmax, Stena Forth, and Stena Icemax) and two semi-submersible drilling rigs (Stena Don and Stena Spey).
