Keppel delivers first of 20 rigs slated for 2013
Vision Drilling, a subsidiary of Cyprus-based Dynamic Offshore Drilling, will receive KFELS B Class jackup, Dynamic Vision, two months ahead of time. It is the first of the 20 offshore rigs that Keppel FELS is expected to deliver in 2013, a record number for any yard worldwide.
The KFELS B Class jackup will be Vision Drilling’s first such rig and will be delivered with a perfect safety record.
“For the month of January alone, we are delivering three rigs,” Wong Kok Seng, managing director at Keppel FELS, said. “Our ability to deliver these rigs on time or ahead of time and safely is due to two factors: the continuous process and productivity improvements we have implemented in the yard and the fact that the majority of the rigs being built are to our proprietary designs.”
“We also have a very good partnership with Vision Drilling, having worked with their management team previously. Over the years, Keppel FELS has seen growing interest from Indian offshore and marine companies. Since 2003, they have ordered a total of 10 jackup rigs, all of which are of the KFELS B Class design,” he added.
Built and optimized to meet the environmental requirements of India, Dynamic Vision is capable of operating in water depths of 350 ft and drilling to 30,000 ft. Keppel’s advanced and fully-automated, high-capacity rack and pinion elevating system and self-positioning fixation system have been incorporated into the design.
“India’s growing energy demand is driving the country to actively increase its offshore oil and gas production. The proven KFELS B Class jackup design, coupled with our established experience in offshore drilling, places Vision Drilling in a good position to meet this demand,” Naresh Kumar, chairman of Dynamic Offshore Drilling, said.
