Diamond Drilling’s Ocean GreatWhite rig will return to port in the coming days for the first time after drilling equipment collapsed during a storm in early February.
In a bulletin published via the Kingfisher service, Diamond said its Ocean GreatWhite rig is expected to depart the Schiehallion NW field on Friday 8 March, and will “return to port for a period.”
It comes after the rig’s lower marine riser package (LRMP) “unintentionally separated” during a storm on February 1 and fell to the seabed.
Diamond 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.
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.
The timing of the rig move this week remains subject to weather and operations.
According to its bulletin, the rigs mooring ground chain sections and pennants will remain in place while the rig is away, with no surface buoys in place.
“Removal of the moorings will be subject to a separate notice. The as-left mooring locations at Schiehallion NW are as per this notice,” it said.
As of the call in late February, Diamond said work to recover the GreatWhite’s LMRP was underway and “progressing methodically.”
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.”
Diamond was approached for comment as to whether that recovery is now complete.
Under current estimates, the rig will return to earning day rates in “April or early May”, Mr Savarino said last month.
The company told investors the incident could result in a hit of approximately $24-27 million to its revenue over the course of Q1 and Q2 this year.
Estimates of recovery costs and repairs were also pegged at $20-25m, though the company’s loss of hire insurance may provide up to $6m.
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