Archer began to permanently plug and abandon (P&A) 12 gas wells on Statoil’s Heimdal platform in the Norwegian North Sea using its newest rig.
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The Archer Topaz modular rig. Photo from Archer. |
The Archer Topaz modular drilling rig (MDR) is under a US$1125 million, 34-month contract with four option periods of each three months. The total contract also includes the startup, operating and decommissioning phases.
The rig was originally due in Heimdal field in August to begin operations.
The flexibility of the Archer Topaz made it well-suited for deployment on the Heimdal field center where, in addition to the ongoing P&A activity, installation upgrades are underway to keep the field operational as a gas processing and distribution hub until 2030.
The Archer Topaz MDR follows the design of Archer’s first modular rig, the Archer Emerald, which was a breakthrough in the field of offshore drilling. Archer’s MDRs are designed to stand alone. Operating in line with current NORSOK regulations, Archer’s MDR fleet can be rigged up on most offshore installations and perform the majority of drilling operations typically carried out from a platform, including completions and plug and abandonment.
Archer’s modular rig packages are lighter and more compact than alternatives, reducing the platform size required, the size of the drilling crew and the associated construction costs. They can be tailored to meet field-specific requirements, providing operators with a cost-efficient alternative to both mobile offshore drilling units and traditional platform drilling rigs on existing and planned installations.
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