Norwegian rig owner Island Drilling has clinched a new contract for its 2012-built semisub, Island Innovator, with Azinam, which is set to be acquired by Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas, an exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margin in Guyana, Namibia and South Africa.
, with Azinam, which is set to be acquired by The rig will be utilised in Block 2B, offshore South Africa, for the upcoming drilling of the Gazania-1 well. Colin Kinley, co-founder and COO of Eco Atlantic, said the company is planning for mobilisation of the rig in late August.
The Block 2B joint venture partners are Africa Energy, with a 27.5% working interest, a subsidiary of Panoro Energy holds 12.5% and Crown Energy indirectly holds the remaining 10%. Eco Atlantic will become the operator and hold a 50% working interest, subject to the completion of the Azinam acquisition.
The Gazania-1 well is located in the Orange Basin in South Africa. The Orange Basin straddles the offshore waters of Namibia and South Africa, where major discoveries on both the Graff-1 well, drilled by Shell, and the Venus-1 well, drilled by TotalEnergies, have recently been announced.
