Jurong completes first Larsen semisub

Named Petrorig I, the first unit of a series of four Larsen Oil & Gas ultra-deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs on order with Sembcorp Marine?s subsidiary Jurong Shipyard in Singapore, has completed its turnkey construction within schedule and is well on track for her maiden assignment in the Gulf of Mexico.

The semi-submersible rig, owned by Larsen Oil & Gas-managed PetroMena ASA of Norway, will now have its thrusters installed and commissioned as well as undergoing sea trials. The rig is scheduled for delivery later this year in March for a five-year charter with Petrobras America for operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

The new semisub, built using Jurong Shipyard?s proprietary breakthrough techniques for fast-track semi-submersible construction, is a 6th generation Friede & Goldman?s Ex-D Millennium Class design semi-submersible rig capable of drilling up to 37,500 feet while operating in dynamic positioning mode in ultra-deep waters of up to 10,000 feet. The rig is equipped with an operational displacement of 43,400 tonnes at 17 metre draught and 46,750 tonnes at 20 metre draft, 18,000 square feet of usable deck space, and is capable of a variable deck load capacity of up to 8,000 tonnes.

Sister units Petrorig II and Petrorig III, the second and third Larsen Oil & Gas semi-submersible rigs under construction at Jurong Shipyard, have also obtained long-term charter contracts.