Perenco has secured an offshore rig ahead of a drilling campaign in the Southern North Sea.
A deal has been struck with Valaris for use of the Valaris 247 jack-up, which will spud a minimum of three new drains within the existing Ravenspurn gas fields.
The rig is scheduled to move onto location in January in preparation for drilling and completion activities, expected to take around 180 days.
Valaris 247, formerly known as Gorilla V, is an enhanced super gorilla class rig built by LeTourneau Industries, Mississippi in 1998.
It is designed and outfitted to operate in water depths of up to 122 metres, and can drill to depths of 10,668 m.
Starting with a Ravenspurn north side-track, the Valaris 247 will drill three challenging deviated wells.
All of them will produce through existing Perenco-operated facilities into the company’s Dimlington Terminal on the east coast of England.
It comes as the UK tries to enhance its home-grown gas supply in order to reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
Jonathan White, Perenco UK’s general manager, said: “These activities are consistent with Perenco UK’s commitment as a safe and responsible operator to the North Sea Transition Deal, supporting energy security compatible with Net Zero targets.”
The Valaris 247 was in the news earlier this year after it became home to a team of birds of prey.
Omega, Firecracker, and Hattie were set to work on the jack-up, as well as the Schooner platform, to deter seabirds from nesting in places where they can pose health and safety risks.
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