Shell is tapping the market for a deepwater floating rig to be deployed offshore Nigeria.
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), the operator of oil mining lease (OML) 118, is looking for a minimum sixth-generation semisub or drillship to support the delivery of well construction, maintenance, and abandonment in the Bonga fields.
The contract award and commencement dates are planned to be sometime between the third quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026, subject to board and regulatory approvals, according to the pre-tender document.
Shell currently has a seventh-generation drillship, the Valaris DS-10 employed at the Bonga field until the end of March 2024 at 230,000 per day. The company’s 118 license partners include Agip, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil under a production-sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company.
The unit Shell is now in the market for should have DP3 capabilities and mandatory minimum water and drilling depth capabilities of 1,500 m and 7,600 m, respectively. The rig should also sport a 15,000 psi BOP, a second BOP, and a variable deck load of 3,200-tonne margin above the empty rig. Submissions of interest are due August 14, 2023.
