New York-listed Ensco International took delivery of 'ENSCO 8502', the third of the company's seven ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rigs on January 19.
After mobilising to the US Gulf of Mexico to complete deepwater sea trials and final outfitting, 'ENSCO 8502' will commence a two-year drilling contract with a subsidiary of Nexen. The contract may be extended to a three or four year term at Nexen's request. Drilling operations are scheduled to commence late in second quarter 2010.
A subsidiary of Nexen has also contracted 'ENSCO 8501', which commenced operations in the US Gulf of Mexico in October 2009.
The proprietary design of the ENSCO 8500 Series was developed to address the drilling requirements of virtually any deepwater field around the world. The design includes a 10,660-metre nominal rated drilling depth, 907 tonnes of hoisting capacity, 8,000 tonnes of variable deck load and an open layout suited for subsea completion activities.
Improved visibility from the open deck configuration also enhances safety. The uniform design of the ENSCO 8500 Series streamlines operational functionality, repairs, training, spare part requirements and maintenance, while also providing flexibility for customer specific enhancements. In particular, the 8500 Series may be modified to drill and complete wells in water depths up to 3,050 metres.
'ENSCO 8501' was constructed by Keppel FELS, Singapore.
