John Fredriksen-controlled Northern Ocean, a semisub rig spin-off of Northern Drilling, announced that Shell will not be keeping the 2019-built rig Deepsea Bollsta after its contract expires in June next year.
In May, Shell declared its option on the semi for continued work in Namibia with an additional option for a consecutive six-month period which would have brought employment with Shell to December 2024.
The rig, managed by Odfjell Drilling, transited from Norway to Namibia in December 2022 and has since worked in the Orange Basin, but the remaining option has not been exercised. Northern Ocean also has its second unit the Deepsea Mira, working for TotalEnergies in Namibia on a multi-country contract.
In a stock exchange filing, Northern Ocean said the Deepsea Bollsta would now be available from June 2024, and that the company is in talks with potential clients in the West African region and harsh environment markets to utilise the rig.
“The company has established itself in Namibia with two premium semisubmersible rigs in operations and is confident its rigs are the right solution for this market long-term. However, the fleet will continue to be marketed towards opportunities in all relevant offshore basins,” Northern Ocean said in a filing.
