Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine has boosted its order book with another US$425 million harsh environment semi-submersible rig for repeat customer Awilco Drilling, writes Amanda Battersby.

Keppel Fels will construct the mid-water semisub, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2022, after Awilco exercised an earlier secured option.

The Oslo-listed drilling company has independent options to order up to another two similar rigs to be exercised in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

“We have exercised the first of our three options because we see growing demand for such mid-water, harsh-environment rigs in north-west Europe,” said Awilco Drilling chairman Sigurd Thorvildsen.

The new semisub will be built to Moss Maritime's CS60 ECO MW design. Similar to the first unit, which Awilco ordered last year, it is especially designed, configured and outfitted for operations in water depths of up to 1500 metres.

The rigs will be able to work in the harshest environments of north-west Europe, including the Barents Sea.

"Work on the first rig is progressing well and we will be able to benefit from economies of scale and cost efficiencies from undertaking a repeat project,” said Keppel O&M's executive director for offshore, Tan Leong Peng.

“For this second rig, we will be able to leverage the engineering and construction process of the first rig to further improve productivity."

Equipped with a hydraulic hoisting system capable of two million pounds of lifting capacity, it also features an optimised 12-point, thruster-assisted mooring system for vessel station keeping, complete with hybrid power supply and energy saving features.

Keppel’s latest order is subject to the finalisation and entry into definitive agreements with Awilco by 23 March.

Meanwhile, Jens Berge has been announced as Awilco Drilling’s new chief executive to succeed Jon Oliver Bryce.

Weekly

Awilco order at Keppel