Page 9: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 1986)

Hyundai Launches Advanced Aker

Semisubmersible Drilling Rig

An Aker H-4.2 semisubmersible drilling rig, said to be the first of its kind ever constructed, was launched recently from Drydock No. 1 of

Hyundai Heavy Industries' (HHI)

Ulsan Shipyard in Korea. The ad- vanced unit, worth about $75 mil- lion, is built to the Aker H-4.2 design and custom-fitted to meet the specific requirements of the

Norwegian owner, Norcem Drilling

A/S.

The H-4.2 prototype is an evolu- tionary version of designs developed by Aker Engineering A/S, the Nor- wegian offshore engineering firm.

This drilling rig, named Norjarl (photo), is designed to operate in the North Sea north of the 62nd parallel in waters up to 600 meters (1,968.5 feet) deep.

With dimensions of 361 feet in length, 240 feet in width, and 300 feet in height, the Norjarl is equip- ped with the latest equipment to drill to about 25,000 feet. Operating draft is 77 feet. Other features in- clude a total operating payload of 4,600 tons, full dynamic positioning, and special winterization measures for efficient year-round operations.

In order to prevent ice accretions and to protect piping and equip- ment from freezing, the lower deck structure is designed with a general- ly flush underside, with de-icing and anti-icing equipment installed.

Maneuverability of the Norjarl is provided by eight controllable-pitch thrusters, each of 3,800 hp. Power for the full-azimuthing thrusters and the rest of the structure is pro- vided by eight Nohab turbocharged and intercooled diesel engines, each with an output of 4,726 bhp. At full- thrust operation in the open ocean, the rig will reach a top speed of 5-6 knots.

After being outfitted and given final touches, the Narjarl will be delivered to its owner in late June this year.

As the vast majority of the Nor- jarl's aggregate weight (about 20,000 metric tons) is contributed by steel, fit-up and welding operations are of paramount importance. Using the vast technical knowledge dissemi- nated by Hyundai's Welding and

Materials Research Institute and perfected in shipbuilding activities,

HHI has managed to excel in both fit-up and welding on the Norjarl.

S.H. Chung, HHI's director of the Offshore Project Management

Office, said: "Such exceptional per- formance compares very favorably with the top Japanese shipyards, which experience a 90-percent pass- rate for X-rays and other non- destructive testing. (On the Norjarl the pass-rate was 95 percent.) All involved parties are very compli- mentary about HHI's steel work, and undoubtedly the high quality of welding fabrication work will con- tinue until the conclusion of the project."

The Norjarl has many outstand- ing features. The mobile offshore drilling unit has a twin-hull design with a total of eight stability col- umns, a transverse brace arrange- ment between the columns, and a deck-structured topside. Keeping the rig balanced are two pontoons located below the columns; these floats constitute the lower hull and are subdivided by bulkheads into tanks for ballast water, drill water, and fuel oil. The pontoons also pro- vide the propulsion, functioning like two submarines and guiding and moving the rig to its new locations.

The crew quarters, located across the forward end of the deck struc- ture, provide accommodations for 100 persons in 12 single and 44 dou- ble cabins. The Norjarl will be one of the first offshore rigs specially adapted for some female crew mem- bers. It has been equipped with sep- arate quarters and segregated sau- nas. To help prevent "cabin fever" and maintain a high morale, the ves- sel has an entertainment area that includes a cinema, lounge, gymna- sium, audio system, and ping-pong tables.

The Norjarl is the fourth semi- submersible drilling rig constructed by HHI. In 1983, the shipyard deliv- ered three rigs to SEDCO. The Ul- san yard is currently building four rigs, including the Norjarl, all of which were ordered in 1984. Anoth- er Aker H-4.2 will be delivered to

Transocean Drilling this year, and two rigs for ODECO are scheduled for 1987 delivery.

Future Outlook

The worldwide forecast for off-

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Circle 275 on Reader Service Card

S-2E MAR shore drilling is predicting a flat year ahead, primarily due to the steady drop of oil prices in late '85 and early '86. However, HHI's ma- jor offshore clients are from the U.S. and Norway, which are expecting to increase their drilling activities— especially if oil prices begin to climb—in both wildcat/appraisal and development wells. Norway's overall activity is forecast to rise by more than two percent to 55 explor- atory and 41 development wells. A moderate increase of just under one percent to 1,870 wells is projected for U.S. offshore activity as early as next year. All of this means that

HHI can anticipate a slight upward trend in the demand for semisub- mersibles and offshore platforms.

Hyundai has consolidated its po- sition as an offshore builder. Start- (continued)

May, 1986 11