Page 48: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Nov/Dec 2022)

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DRILLING DEEPWATER ATLAS

The Deepwater Atlas was launched this year preventer (BOP) stacks have been designed with extra in Singapore. What, specifically, is so special attention to features that result in reduced maintenance about it? times. The well test and completion deck is the biggest in

The Deepwater Atlas is the ?rst of its kind eighth-gen- the offshore drilling industry. The aft hull was designed for eration drillship that will offer 20,000 psi well control ca- improved ef?ciency, which was accomplished by reducing pabilities and a 3.4 million pound hoisting capacity. The double-handling of equipment and materials.

Deepwater Atlas and the Deepwater Titan, the Atlas’ sister- rig that will follow her to the Gulf of Mexico next year, offer The completed drillship features three-million the highest rated equipment in the industry. These eighth- pound hook-load hoisting capacity. Why is generation, ultra-deepwater drillships will allow Transocean, this important?

and its customers, to access high pressure and high tem- The hoisting capacity of the drawworks is 3.4 million perature reservoirs that previously were not accessible. The pounds with a net hook load of 3.0 million pounds. The equipment on our newest drillships can reduce the time it weight of the traveling equipment, including the motion takes to drill a deepwater well, bringing total costs down. compensator that maintains the drill string position, the trav-

Among the special aspects of the Deepwater Atlas is the eling block and hook, are all included in the hoisting capac- story she tells about resilience. Despite an industry down- ity. This allows us to pick up a full 3.0 million pounds at the turn and global pandemic challenges, she has now made elevator. This is important to Transocean, and our customers, her way to the Gulf of Mexico, where she commenced because it is more cost effective. The maximum capacity is drilling operations. Transocean owns the only two assets in higher than on any other rig, allowing us to run longer casing the world speci?cally designed to maximize ef?ciencies for strings, reducing handling, running and cementing times.

20,000 psi well completions.

The rig has a 15,000 psi blowout preventer,

It has been said that this is the first 8th gen- and will eventually have a 20,000 pounds psi eration drillship in the world. What does this BOP, too. Why is there a need for two BOPs mean, exactly? and why is the second one being installed at

Transocean’s eighth-generation drillships are designed to a later date?

be out?tted with well control systems rated for 20,000 psi The two BOPs improve ef?ciency by providing redun- and possess a 3.4 million pound hoisting capacity. To pro- dancy and reducing downtime between wells. For exam- vide this capability, upgrades were made to the derrick and ple, it allows for operations to continue with one BOP de- a new, higher-rated drawworks, top drive and rotary table ployed while maintenance is performed on the other stack. were added. This new equipment was designed and deliv- Currently, the Deepwater Atlas has two 15,000 psi BOP ered speci?cally for these projects – marking new ?rsts, not stacks, which provide all the ef?ciency of dual stack rigs. only for Transocean, but for the entire industry. To complete 20,000 psi wells, one of the 15,000 psi BOPs

For context, seventh-generation rigs offer 2.5 to 2.8 mil- will be replaced by a 20,000 psi BOP once manufacturing lion pound hoisting capacity, and 15,000 psi well control and testing is completed.

systems. Sixth-generation rigs offer a hoisting capacity of up to 2.0 million pounds and are rated for water depths Can you share any info on the Atlas’ first up to 10,000 feet. Seventh- and eighth-generation rigs are project in the Gulf of Mexico with Beacon at designed for water depths of up to 12,000 feet. the Shenandoah?

The Deepwater Atlas has arrived in the Gulf of Mexico,

How, specifically, will these ships create an where customer and third-party equipment load out took opportunity to drive the total well cost down? place ahead of the rig proceeding to the Shenandoah ?eld

The upgraded hoisting capacity will provide our cus- to commence her ?rst contract. Transocean follows a ro- tomers with numerous cost and time-saving opportunities, bust system of operations readiness covering everything especially when drilling programs and well con?gurations from crew training and procedures to maintenance plans require the handling of heavy, large diameter casing strings. and spares. We are excited to have achieved the milestone

With a higher hook load, more work can be accomplished of commencing operations on another newbuild. in a shorter period. Additionally, the 20,000 psi blowout The Shenandoah program comprises two phases. The 48 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM