Norway’s Equinor has exercised six one-well options for one of Transocean’s harsh environment semi-submersible drilling rigs.
The drilling rig in question is the Transocean Encourage Cat D rig which has been working for Equinor since its delivery in 2015.
Cat D rig which has been working for Equinor since its delivery in 2015.It was supposed to end its eight-year contract with the Norwegian energy major in December 2023 but a recent extension, awarded in March this year, added nine more wells on the Tyrihans, Verdande, Andvare, and Vigdis fields in the Tampen area of the North Sea.
Transocean said at the time that the deal could be extended further and that the drilling campaign under the $191m extension would start in December.
This most recent extension is for six more wells and, according to Transocean, would keep the Transocean Encourage with Equinor for an additional 370 days. The offshore driller stated that the options are worth some $172m.
The work is expected to begin in direct continuation of the current firm term and now extends through February 2026.
