It follows structural analysis of the four midwater semi-submersible rigs, all working for Statoil off Norway, in the wake of a fatal accident involving the rig COSL Innovator after it was struck by a monster at the state-run operator’s Troll field in the North Sea nearly a year ago.
The recently delivered Cat-D rigs were subjected to model tests as part of an assessment by Statoil of all 15 semisubs in its portfolio to determine whether they could withstand harsh wave conditions during the winter drilling season.
Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority is understood to be working on new guidelines for the so-called air gap on such rigs - the distance between...
