DNO of Norway, on behalf of the Draupne field joint venture, has awarded Maersk Drilling a contract for development drilling by the still in-build ultra-harsh environment super-jackup XL Enhanced 2.
Contract value for the three-year term is more than $400million, though this could more than double to around $1billion if options to stretch the arrangement to seven years are exercised.
This award comes several months after Total booked its sister rig for work on the Hild field development in the Norwegian North Sea.
Both CJ-70 class rigs are under construction at Keppel FELS in Singapore.
To be delivered in 2014, the “XLEnhanced” design is a further enhanced version of the existing ultra harsh environment jack-ups, Maersk Innovator and Maersk Inspirer. Like their sister rigs, the two new rigs are designed to operate in the harsh environment found in the North Sea and complies with all rules and regulations in the strictly-regulated Norwegian sector.
The letter of award by DNO is subject to submission and subsequent approval by the Norwegian authorities of the development plans for the Draupne field, which will be developed in concert with the neighbouring Luno discovery.
Stakeholders in Draupne comprise DNO (35%), with Statoil, holding 50%, and Bayerngas Norway, the remaining 15%.