The Ocean GreatWhite, the world’s largest semisubmersible oil rig, is back to Kishorn after an equipment collapse incident in the West of Shetland.
Last month, the rig’s lower marine riser package (LRMP) “unintentionally separated” during a storm and fell to the seabed while it was on a job for BP.
Pictures shared on social media show the giant vessel heading past Plockton on the way to Kishorn, where it has docked multiple times on the way to and from West of Shetland campaigns.
© Supplied by -Last week a notice to mariners outlined that the Ocean GreatWhite rig was expected to depart the Schiehallion NW field on Friday 8 March, and will “return to port for a period.”
Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DO) had been carrying out a five-well campaign for BP at Ben Lawers and later the Schiehallion field, around 125 miles west of Shetland – though progress has now been waylaid.
© Supplied by Sam BilnerThe firm said it is “investigating the incident to understand the cause of the separation,” while recovery is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars.
According to the recent bulletin update, the rig’s mooring ground chain sections and pennants will remain in place while the rig is away, with no surface buoys in place.
The equipment is situated on the seabed, exposed above the mud line in an upright orientation, according to chief executive Bernie Wolford. The equipment was to be lifted and returned to the rig “in the next weather window.”
In an investor call in late February Diamond chief financial officer Dominic Savarino said the company expects the rig could be off rates for approximately 90 to 100 days.