Saipem's Scarabeo 9 semisubmersible is in the Black Sea, where it is drilling one well, the Maria-1 exploration well in the Zapadno-Chernomorskaya license area, plus one optional well, in deepwater (more than 2000m water depth).
To get there, it had to cross the Bosphorus Strait, passing under three Istanbul bridges. This meant that having to take apart part of the unit to clear the air draft. The rig had to be modified in advance in order that this could happen.
The Scarabeo 9 is a semisubmersible unit equipped with a dual RamRig and a DP3 system.
The mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) is an ultra-deepwater drilling unit, designed to operate in water depth up to 12,000ft, and with a drilling depth capacity up to 50,000 ft below the rotary table.
The MODU consists of two pontoons and four columns connected to the upper hull (deckbox). The pontoons are connected with four transverse braces attached at the lower part of the columns. The upper hull (deckbox) accommodates the drilling package and general utilities and it is equipped with a permanent accommodation module for 200 people.