COSLProspector semi-submersible drilling rig has departed from the shipyard in Canary Islands, and it’s now on its way to Norway, where it will undergo repairs ahead of assignment with Vår Energi in the Barents Sea.
COSL's 4,921-ft semisubmersible COSLProspector docked at the Port of Las Palmas on December 26 for maintenance and crew change following a three-month journey from China.
After 26 days at the ZAMAKONA shipyards, COSLProspector set sail on January 20, 2024, heading towards Norway.
There, it will undergo a repair project to ensure optimal performance on its next journey, the Tenerife-based shipping company and logistics operator Canarship informed.
COSLProspector is designed to operate in water depths up to 1500 meters and drilling depths to 7500 meters. The unit is designed for North Sea/Norwegian Sea and worldwide use in harsh environments.
Following the optimization works in Norway, the rig is scheduled for a two-year drilling program in the Barents region offshore Norway, as part of contract COSL signed with Vår Energi in September 2023.
The agreement, made in cooperation with Equinor, also includes an option for additional three years.
Vår Energi will drill exploration wells, appraisal wells, along with certain production wells in an effort to identify additional petroleum resources near Goliat and Johan Castberg for utilization of existing infrastructure as well as target exploration for new gas resources that can lead to developing new gas export infrastructure.