Maersk Integrator wins Tambar field drilling contract in Norway

In  the August edition of  Drilling Contractor, the official magazine of the International Association of Drilling Contractors, IADC, Maersk Drilling is reported to have “secured an additional one-well contract” in Norway. Below is the report unedited

Maersk Drilling has secured an additional one-well contract from Aker BP, acting as operator of the Tambar license, for the low-emission jackup rig Maersk Integrator.

In direct continuation of its current work scope, the rig will move to the Tambar field offshore Norway to drill the K-2B development well. Work expected to commence in February 2021. The contract has an estimated duration of 73 days and a contract value of approximately $18.5 million. This excludes integrated services provided and a potential performance bonus.

The Maersk Integrator is contracted under the terms of the frame agreement Maersk Drilling entered into with Aker BP in 2017 as part of the Aker BP Jackup Alliance, which also includes Halliburton. The tripartite alliance uses a shared incentives model, thereby securing mutual commitment to collaborate and drive digital initiatives to reduce waste and deliver value. Contracts under the alliance are based on market rate terms but add the possibility of an upside for all parties, based on actual delivery and performance.

“We are delighted to confirm that the Maersk Integrator will be back in action for Aker BP in early 2021. Our alliance with Aker BP and Halliburton is enabling new ways of working as one team across the value chain. We have most recently seen the results of this in the safe and highly efficient operation delivered by the Maersk Integrator in a complex campaign on the Ula field,” Morten Kelstrup, COO of Maersk Drilling, said. “This increased efficiency also translates into a reduction of the CO2 emissions associated with drilling, which will be further enhanced by the upgrades currently being performed on the Maersk Integrator.”

The Maersk Integrator is an ultra-harsh environment CJ70 XLE jackup rig. It is designed for year-round operations in the North Sea. It was delivered in 2015 and is performing its scheduled special periodic survey offshore Norway. The rig is further undergoing a series of upgrades to turn it into a hybrid, low-emission rig before, expectedly, moving to the Ivar Aasen field for Aker BP in August 2020.