Wintershall Dea Hires Odfjell Rig for Norwegian Drilling

Germany's Wintershall has hired the Deepsea Aberdeen semi-submersible rig from Norway's Odfjell Drilling  to drill exploration and infill production wells on the Norwegian shelf, the companies said on September 21.

The vessel will drill the Dvalin North and Bergknapp exploration wells in the Norwegian Sea and at least two infill production wells at the Vega gas field in the northern North Sea. Drilling will commence in the first quarter of 2021.

Wintershall Dea made an oil discovery at the Bergknapp prospect in April this year. At Dvalin North, its aim is to find more resources in the area around the Dvalin gas field, due to come on stream at the end of this year.  Vega has been in production since late 2010.

The contract secured by Odfjell includes an option for additional Wintershall Dea-operated wells.

The Bergen-based rig-owner has also signed a contract with Norway's Aker BP, committing the Deepsea Stavanger for further work, it said on September 22. The contract covers five wells and is worth up to $44mn plus incentives. The work is expected to start in the third quarter of 2021, after Deepsea Stavanger's return from South Africa, where it has been hired by France's Total to drill for gas.

(picture courtesy of Odfjell Drilling)