Ensco takes delivery of ultra-premium, harsh-environment jackup
Ensco has taken delivery of ENSCO 120, the first in its series of three ultra-premium, harsh-environment jackups. The rig is contracted to work for Nexen in the North Sea beginning in Q4 at a day rate of approximately $230,000 plus cost adjustments.
“With the ENSCO 120 Series, we have taken a high-specification rig design and enhanced it with features that make it the most capable rig of its class. The proprietary cantilever system and deep well capabilities of ENSCO 120, paired with our skilled crews’ knowledge and experience in the region, are a winning combination for our customers,” chairman, president and CEO Dan Rabun commented.
ENSCO 120 was constructed at the Keppel FELS yard in Singapore and is now en route to the North Sea for final outfitting and crew familiarization. In jackup trials, the rig set a shipyard record when it was jacked up successfully to 539 ft on its 540-ft legs. The rig also successfully hoisted a 2.5-million-lb hook load at its full cantilever extension.
ENSCO 121, the second rig in the series, is scheduled for delivery in Q4. It is contracted to work for Wintershall, also in the North Sea.
The new jackups are enhanced versions of the KFELS Super A design. Capable of operating in water depths up to 400 ft, ENSCO 120 Series rigs are designed for the most demanding large multi-well platform programs, ultra-deep gas programs or ultra-long reach wells up to 40,000-ft total drilling depth. The design features of the rigs increase the area of operability in the Central North Sea and other harsh-environment regions.
The rigs have improved cantilever envelope, four-ram 15,000 psi BOP, 2.5 million-lb quad derrick, enhanced rig floor layout, fully automated hands-free offline pipe handling systems, ultra-high capacity jacking and fixation systems, 150-person quarters and strict noise and ergonomic standards.
