Norway's safety watchdog has uncovered regulatory non-conformities with newbuild semi-submersible West Mira after carrying out inspections ahead of scheduled drilling work for Wintershall Dea.

The harsh-environment rig, owned by Seadrill-connected Northern Drilling, was due to kick off work this month for the German operator under an $106 million contract inked last year.

However, the unit has yet to be granted an acknowledgement of compliance (AoC) - a certificate to verify it conforms with strict regulations for operating off Norway - after the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) uncovered a number of non-conformities in audits carried out earlier this year.

The inspections focusing on electrical facilities and technical safety, as well as the working environment, were performed on Seadrill Management - an offshoot of the London-based rig giant that is responsible for management of the rig - in connection with its application for an AoC.

PSA inspectors found failings with the technical condition of electrical facilities, high-voltage installations, and completion and inspection of explosion-proof equipment, among other issues, in the checks carried out at Coast Center Base near Bergen after delivery of the rig from South Korean yard Hyundai Heavy Industries last December.

In its audit report, the safety watchdog highlighted a lack of electro-technical system analysis to ensure safety, shortcomings with the maintenance programme for so-called Ex equipment as well as a lack of overpressure ventilation in the so-called mud rest room and ignition source decoupling.

A further audit of the working environment uncovered several non-conformities including in areas for handling drilling mud and cuttings.

Seadrill was given a deadline of 12 August to provide feedback to the PSA on how it would tackle issues raised in the electrical audit and of 24 July for the second audit.

The agency stated “all known safety-critical non-conformities must be rectified” before an AoC can be issued.

Wintershall Dea intends to use the rig to drill a wildcat at the Bergknapp prospect off Norway later this year, along with wells at its Maria and Vega fields, prior to starting work next summer on drilling of production wells at the under-development Nova field in the northern North Sea.

The latter field is being developed as a subsea tie-back to the Gjoa field and is due on stream in 2021.

A Wintershall Dea spokesperson said: “Production drilling at the Nova field is planned for next summer, and there are no indications that the AoC process will impact the schedule.

“We are in close dialogue with Seadrill regarding all aspects of the AoC process, and are confident that the rig operator is following up the findings from the Petroleum Safety Authority.”

While the rig contract was originally due to start in March 2020, Wintershall Dea exercised an option to bring this forward to the third quarter of this year.

According to Bassoe Analytics, the firm contract has a dayrate of $290,000 and is due to start on 22 August this year, with expiry in March 2021, though the operator has options for up to 10 additional wells.

A Seadrill spokesperson said: “We have submitted plans to the PSA to address the findings of the audit relating to the application for an acknowledgement of compliance for the West Mira. We expect the rig to commence operations as scheduled.”

Safety And Environment

Safety issues on West Mira