Maersk Drilling has been awarded a US$24 million decommissioning contract for the jackup rig Mærsk Gallant with Maersk Oil in the North Sea.
The contract covers the plugging and abandonment of the Leadon and James subsea fields in the UK sector of the North Sea.
The duration of the contract is estimated to 230 days, with a February 2017 start date. The Maersk Gallant has just completed drilling on Total's Solaris ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature prospect in the Norwegian North Sea. The well was dry.
“Despite an extremely challenging market, I am glad to say that Maersk Drilling is still able to secure new contracts for our rigs. By focusing on operational excellence and technical problem solving, we strive to always be a trusted and value-adding partner for our customers,” says Michael Reimer, Head of Global Sales in Maersk Drilling and continues,
“Maersk Drilling has extensive experience with plugging and abandonment operations, and we are looking forward to working closely together with Maersk Oil to safely decommission the two subsea fields, Leadon and James.”
Mærsk Gallant is about to complete its current contract with Total E&P Norge. The rig is designed for year-round operation in the North Sea, in water depths up to 120m (394 ft) with an available leg length below hull of 138.5m (454 ft). The rig is fully equipped for high pressure/high temperature drilling.