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Three newbuild jackups based on the XL

Enhanced design will hit the market in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Photo from Maersk Drilling.

and Marine Engineering’s (DSME) Okpo

Shipyard in South Korea. Delivery is

Drilling expected to occur from 2014-2016.

The XL Enhanced jackups are designed for year-round operation in the North

Sea, with the capacity to operate in water depths of 492ft, and a maximum drill depth of 40,000ft. The design also features dual pipe-handling, which allows for offine stand building of drill pipe, casing or bottom hole assembly while one string is working at well center, and a remotely- operated pipe handling system, which allows all standard operations such as stand building and tripping to be con- ducted without personnel on the drill foor.

The frst XL Enhanced jackup, due for delivery in 2014, will serve Total E&P

Norge’s Martin Linge feld (formerly

Hild), in a four-year contract valued at

Jackups on the rise $550 million. The XL Enhanced 2, due for delivery 4Q 2014, will be used for A number of rig providers are increasing their feet with drilling on Det norske Oljeselskap ASA’s

Ivar Aasen (formerly Draupne), in the newbuilds over the next three years. provides a Audrey Leon

Norwegian North Sea. The contract is roundup of the latest designs hitting the market.

for fve years and is worth $700 million.

Maersk’s XL Enhanced 3, due for delivery any rig operators are mak- see rising dayrates as attrition accelerates in 2Q 2015, will serve Statoil’s Gina ing efforts to not only renew amongst an aging global feet.” Krog (formerly Dagny) development off

M but increase their drilling rig Maersk Drilling’s recent 2013 Annual Norway in a four-year, $630 million con- options. Jackups are the hottest commod- Report says that the market for ultra- tract. The XL Enhanced 4 jackup, to be ity with a slew of newbuilds heading up harsh environment jackups remains delivered from DSME in mid-2016, has the global market in the next few years. strong with full utilization of its capacity been signed by BP Norway for fve-years

Transocean chalks it up to demand. throughout 2013. “Most jackups are tied in a contract valued at $812 million. “We anticipate demand for these rigs as up in long term contracts reducing the Options to extend up to a total duration the renewal of the industry’s jackup feet near term availability of jackup rigs in of 10 years. The XL Enhanced 4’s work continues,” the company said in its 2013 the market where the frst rig is available will include plug and abandonment

Annual Report. “This sector has been in the 4Q 2014,” according to the Maersk assignments on the Valhall feld in the developed to a signifcantly greater degree report. Norwegian North Sea.

than the deepwater market sector because InfeldRigs data, as of 1 April 2014,

Ensco the shallower water depths have made it lists high-spec jackups as having an much more affordable and accessible than average dayrate of $231,400. By com- Ensco plc currently plans to add fve the deeper water market sectors.” parison, drillships bring in an average jackups to its feet. Ensco announced

InfeldRigs shows that as of 14 April of $365,100/d. Semisubmersible rigs on in April that it ordered two jackups, 2014, there are 413 jackups around the average bring in $394,100/d. the Ensco 140 and 141–based on the globe, 361 with contracts for a total utili- LeTourneau Super 116E design–to be

Maersk Drilling zation rate of 87%. built at the Lamprell shipyard in UAE,

Transocean is not alone in opting to Maersk Drilling has an extensive program due mid-2016. Three more jackups are build more jackups. Seadrill, Ensco Plc, of newbuilds to come over the next two under construction at the Keppel FELS

Noble Drilling and Maersk Drilling will years that includes four new jackups and yard in Singapore. The Ensco 122 and also bring multiple new jackups into four new drillships. The company has the Ensco 123 are in the Ensco 120 their feet over the next three years. ordered four ultra-harsh environment series–based on the Keppel FELS Ultra- “The jackup market has traditionally GustoMSC CJ70 designed jackups, built Enhanced Super “A” Class design. The been a shorter term market; however for a maximum water depth of 492ft, and 120 series includes a patented high- we expect longer term contracts to be a maximum drill depth of 40,000ft. Three capacity cantilever envelope and a 2.5 executed going forward,” said Fredrik XL Enhanced jackups are currently under million-pound quad derrick for drill-

Halvorsen, Chief Executive Offcer of construction at the Keppel FELS shipyard ing in harsh environments up to 400ft

Seadrill Management Ltd, in 2013. “In in Singapore. A fourth jackup is under water depth, capable of drilling down to addition to increased terms, we expect to construction at the Daewoo Shipbuilding 40,000ft. The series features automated

May 2014 | OE oedigital.com 62 062_OE0414_D&C_ RigOverview.indd 62 4/18/14 7:52 PM