A Valaris rig is heading for the Southern North Sea ahead of embarking on a decommissioning campaign for Neo Energy.
The Valaris Norway jack-up vessel recently left Dundee after a “short visit between contracts” while maintenance work was carried out.
It is currently en route to block 49/17a of the UK Continental Shelf where it will carry out decommissioning work on the Victoria subsea well.
It is estimated to last around 20 days, with an operating rig day rate of $105,000.
Tord Vintervold, Valaris rig manager, said: “The VALARIS Norway departed the shipyard after a short visit between contracts. The rig safely completed some maintenance work scopes, including BOP recertification, changing out the 15K choke & Kill manifold, shaker upgrades, and crane maintenance and recertification. We wish the crew the best for the upcoming campaign.”
Private-equity backed Neo Energy submitted a final version of its plans for retiring the Southern North Sea gas field last year.
Located in a water depth of up to 27 metres, the existing Victoria subsea infrastructure is a tie-back to the Harbour Energy-owned Viking BD skid, previously owned by ConocoPhillips.
Production from the field got underway in October 2008, with gas being exported to the Theddlethorpe terminal – cessation of production was approved in January 2016.
The Victoria subsea system consists of one subsea production well complete with protective structure; a production gas flowline; a subsea umbilical designed to provide hydraulic control, electrical signal and chemical injection cores.
Valaris Norway
In May Valaris (NYSE: VAL) announced it had landed a pair of North Sea rig deals with operators Harbour Energy (LON: HBR) and NEO Energy.
A two-year jackup extension has been announced – at a day rate of $95,000 – for the Valaris 92 with Harbour Energy.
Kicking off in Q1 2024 in direct continuation of an existing contract, the rig is “expected to be exclusively undertaking” plug and abandonment (P&A) work.
Harbour Energy also currently has the Valaris 92 working for it in the UK.
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