Fred Olsen Energy’s ultra-deepwater drillship Belford Dolphin has just completed a three-year drilling contract with Anadarko Petroleum and has moved seamlessly into a new four-year arrangement that will run into 2015. The vessel is currently operating offshore Mozambique.
Anadarko has also begun operations with the Blackford Dolphin semi-submersible, working on a one-well contract that started last month after completing a single well contract with Sonangol Starfish for operations offshore Brazil.
When its Anadarko assignment is complete, the rig will continue in Brazilian waters with a three-well contract with Karoon Metroleo & Gas. And then it will return to Anadarko for another one-well project.
Olsen reports that, during the second half of next year, the rig will undergo its five-year class renewal survey.
Anadarko has also contracted the company’s new-build ultra-deepwater drillship, to be named Bolette Dolphin and which is now under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. The hire will run for four years and is scheduled to start during Q4 next year.
Olsen has also secured a new three-year contract for the Byford Dolphin. This will end-to-end with the present three-year arrangement which runs until next April.
The rig is working on the UK Continental Shelf and is scheduled to be put through an early class renewal survey plus it is to get a new blow-out preventer and related control systems in 2014.