Offshore drilling company Valaris has started drilling the first of eight gas development wells at Woodside’s Scarborough project offshore Australia.
The 2012-built rig, VALARIS DPS-1, has been employed for the assignment. It’s of F&G ExD Millenium, built by Jurong Shipyard Singapore, and capable of 34,000ft drilling at maximum water depths of 10,000ft.
“This project will keep the VALARIS DPS-1 busy through 2024 and into 2025. Kudos to the entire team for a great start, and we look forward to a safe and successful operation,” said Jason Chaplin, Rig Manager for Valaris.
Located in the Carnarvon Basin, offshore Western Australia, the Scarborough project will include the installation of a floating production unit with eight wells drilled in the initial phase and thirteen wells drilled over the life of the Scarborough field.
The gas will be transported for processing at Pluto LNG through a new trunkline of approximately 430 km in length. The final investment decision was made in November 2021 and first LNG cargo is targeted for 2026.