Drilling & Completion News
TotalEnergies takes FID for Suriname’s Block 58
TotalEnergies announced the final investment decision (FID) for the GranMorgu development located on offshore Block 58 in Suriname. The project will develop the Sapakara and Krabdagu oil discoveries, on which a successful exploration and appraisal campaign was completed in 2023. The fields are located 150 km off the coast of Suriname and hold recoverable reserves estimated at more 750 million barrels.
The project includes a 220,000 barrels of oil per day FPSO. Total investment is estimated at around $10.5 billion, and first oil is expected in 2028.
TotalEnergies is the operator of Block 58 with a 50% interest, alongside APA Corp (50%). Staatsolie, Suriname’s national oil company, has announced its intent to exercise its option to enter the development project with up to 20% interest; this will be finalized before June 2025.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity for GranMorgu is expected to fall below 16 kg CO2e/boe due to an all-electric FPSO configuration, optimized power usage, and the installation of a permanent methane detection and monitoring system.
Petrobras awards contracts to Constellation’s Laguna Star, Hanhwa’s Tidal Action ultra-deepwater drillships
Constellation Oil Services announced the award of two new contracts by Petrobras for the deployment two ultra-deepwater rigs – the Laguna Star, part of Constellation’s fleet, and Tidal Action, a newbuild rig being constructed at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in South Korea to be operated by Constellation – to the Roncador Field in the Campos Basin.
Combined, the agreements total $1 billion, including all mobilization fees, an extension option clause and additional services requested by Petrobras. The rigs will operate under these contracts for approximately 2.5 years each, commencing in Q3 2025.
Laguna Star is a sixth-generation ultra-deepwater DP drillship with the capacity to drill to 40,000 ft. The rig will complete its current contract with Petrobras in the first half of 2025 before undergoing essential adjustments and class inspections and then commence operations under the new agreement.
Tidal Action, previously known as West Libra, represents one of the last high-specification units constructed in the previous rig-building cycle. It is a seventh-generation drillship designed to operate at water depths up to 3,600 m. Upon its departure from the Hanwha Ocean shipyard, Hanwha Drilling will become the rig’s owner. This will be the first instance where Constellation operates a third-party owned ultra-deepwater unit.
NAGA 6 completes SPS, heads for operations in Sarawak
Velesto Energy has completed the Five Yearly Special Periodical Survey (SPS) for the NAGA 6 at the Labuan Shipyard in Labuan. The jackup is set to mobilize for operations in Sarawak, continuing its contract with PETRONAS Carigali. Awarded in March 2024, the contract covers drilling operations from February 2024 to February 2026.
In separate news, Velesto Energy, through its subsidiary Velesto Drilling, has signed a memorandum of understanding with SLB to deploy the DrillOps Intelligent Well Delivery and Insights Solution, as well as its Drilling Emissions Management Solutions, on designated Velesto rigs.
These digital solutions are designed to enhance and optimize drilling performance and monitor emissions.
New contracts, extensions boost KCA Deutag backlog
KCA Deutag has secured backlog exceeding $900 million in new contracts and extensions for land and offshore drilling projects across Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, Angola and Europe.
Extensions for four rigs in Saudi Arabia are collectively valued at $352 million, with contract durations ranging from five to 10 years, adding up to a total of 25 years. Further, success in Oman has seen the company extend contacts on three rigs worth a combined value of $50 million. Two rigs have received two-year extensions while another has been extended for nine months.
In Europe, the company has secured a new contract for a rig in Germany valued at over $10 million, ensuring nearly a year of work. In Pakistan, two new contracts worth over $20 million provide three years of activity.
Offshore, two contract extensions worth a total of six years and $87 million have been secured, covering projects in Europe and Angola. Additionally in Norway, contracts were recently signed for two awards that KCA Deutag announced in March this year, adding over $410 million to the company’s backlog.
Northern Ocean alliance targets field development program in Ghana
Northern Ocean announced a strategic alliance agreement in Ghana and a contract with the Springfield Group of Companies for the use of the Deepsea Bollsta on a well test of the Afina 1x well, amongst other activities. The alliance includes a mutual exclusivity to explore a long-term field development program in Ghana. The firm contract duration is for one well test estimated to be 30-35 days and will commence early in Q4 2024.
