Rig: Deepsea Stavanger

Deepsea Stavanger Awarded Drilling Contract with JX Nippon

JX Nippon Exploration and Production (U.K.) Limited (“JX Nippon”) has awarded Odfjell Drilling’s semi-submersible Deepsea Stavanger a contract for drilling one exploration well located West of Shetland on the UK Continental Shelf. “The contract with JX Nippon secures interim utilisation of Deepsea Stavanger before start up of the Wintershall drilling contract in 2017. We have a fleet of high performing rigs with a strong track record that gives us confidence in our market position even if the competition is tougher than ever. We look forward to demonstrating our capabilities for JX Nippon and its partners in the UK.” says Mr Simen Lieungh, CEO of Odfjell Drilling. Contract duration is estimated to be between 60 and 75 days and expected commencement is Q2 2016. Deepsea Stavanger finalised its contract with BP in Angola in November 2015 and has thereafter completed its 5-year special periodic survey. The rig is now underway to Norway before mobilising to UK waters for start-up on the JX Nippon contract. Deepsea Stavanger has a contract with Wintershall on the Maria field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf starting early 2017.

Odfjell Drilling announces new contract award from Wintershall Norge AS

Wintershall Norge AS has awarded Odfjell Drilling's semi-submersible Deepsea Stavanger a contract for the drilling of production wells on the Maria field in the Haltenbanken area on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The firm contract is for six wells with an expected duration of 574 days and an estimated contract value of USD175 million. Contract commencement is estimated to 1 April 2017. The contract additionally contains a one-well option prior to the firm contract and two wells after the firm period. The estimated contract value of the optional wells is USD 98 million. Deepsea Stavanger is currently employed by BP in Angola on a contract that is expected to mature during November this year. Odfjell Drilling continues to market the rig in order to secure temporary employment for Deepsea Stavanger to fill the gap to its start-up on the Maria field.

BP extends 'Deepsea Stavanger' contract in Angola

Odfjell Drilling has announced that the company’s ‘Deepsea Stavanger’ semisub rig has been awarded an extension to its existing contract in Angola with BP. The contract extension is in direct continuation of the existing contract and is for six firm wells, to be drilled over a 13 month period. The contract secures work for the ‘Deepsea Stavanger’ through 2015. The contract extension is estimated to be worth USD210 million and includes two unpriced options for two wells each. The ‘Deepsea Stavanger’ has been operating for BP in Angola since November 2011 and the contract extension means that the unit will have been operating in the country for four straight years upon completion.

Gas discovery block 1 offshore Tanzania

Ophir Energy plc (Ophir), the Africa-focused upstream oil and gas company, is pleased to announce that a gas discovery has been made in the Chaza-1 exploration well offshore Tanzania. This is the first gas discovery in Block 1 but the third consecutive discovery made in this drilling campaign following on from the Chewa and Pweza discoveries made in Block 4. The Chaza-1 well was operated by Ophir (40%) on behalf of a joint venture with BG International (BG) (60%). The well is located approximately 18km from the coastline in 952m of water. The Chaza-1 well was drilled to a total depth of 4,895m sub-sea. The well encountered a high quality gas bearing reservoir of which is associated with a distinctive seismic anomaly. Chaza-1 is the third of a three-well sequence which forms part of an Initial Work Programme across Blocks 1, 3 and 4. The Deepsea Stavanger will now move back to the Chewa location in Block 4 to side-track and appraise the earlier announced Chewa-1 discovery and deepen the well to test older reservoir objectives. The Ophir/BG Joint Venture has interests in Blocks 1, 3 and 4 offshore southern Tanzania. These blocks cover more than 27,000km2 of the Mafia Basin and northern portion of the Ruvuma Basin in water depths ranging from approximately 100m to greater than 3,000m. The Ophir/BG Joint Venture is currently completing the acquisition of approximately 5,000km2 of additional 3D seismic data across all three blocks.

Second gas discovery block 4 offshore Tanzania

Ophir Energy plc ("Ophir"), an Africa-focused upstream oil and gas company, is pleased to announce that a significant gas discovery has been made in the Chewa-1 exploration well. This is the second gas discovery in the Mafia Basin, offshore Tanzania and follows on from the successful Pweza-1 well. The Chewa-1 well is located in Block 4 which is operated by one of Ophir's wholly owned subsidiaries on behalf of a joint venture which consists of itself (40%) and BG International ("BG") (60%). The well is located approximately 80km from the coastline in 1,315m of water. The Ophir/BG Joint Venture has interests in Blocks 1, 3 and 4 offshore southern Tanzania. These blocks cover more than 27,000km2 of the Mafia Basin and northern portion of the Ruvuma Basin, in water depths ranging from approximately 100m to greater than 3,000m. Chewa-1 is the second of a three-well sequence which forms part of an Initial Work Programme across Blocks 1, 3 and 4. Upon completion of the Initial Work Programme, which also includes the acquisition of 4,000km2 of 3D seismic data, BG has the option to assume operatorship of all three blocks.

Gas discovery Pweza-1 well block 4 offshore Tanzania

Ophir Energy plc ("Ophir") an Africa-focused upstream oil and gas company, is pleased to announce that the Pweza-1 exploration well in the Mafia Basin offshore Tanzania has encountered a thick section of gas-bearing sands. Results from the Pweza-1 well, which has the potential to de-risk other prospects and leads in the basin, are currently being evaluated. The Pweza-1 well is located in Block 4 which is operated by one of Ophir's wholly owned subsidiaries on behalf of a joint venture which consists of itself (40%) and BG International ("BG") (60%). The well is located approximately 85km from the coastline in 1,400m of water. The Ophir/BG group joint venture has interests in Blocks 1, 3 and 4 offshore Tanzania which cover more than 27,000sq km of the Mafia Offshore Basin and northern portion of the Ruvuma Basin, in water depths ranging from approximately 100m to greater than 3,000m. The Ophir/BG joint venture now proposes to drill a further two wells as part of this first ever deepwater drilling campaign in Tanzania.