Electrical package for drillship

The dynamically positioned, ultra-deepwater drillship Noble Globetrotter II is under construction by STX at its new facility in Dalian, China and is due to be operational during the second half of 2013. The drillship is rated for operations at water depths of up to 10,000 feet and will be capable of drilling to a vertical depth of over 12,000m. Converteam says that its advanced power and control technologies are vital links in achieving these objectives, in an industry where performance bonuses and penalties are standard practice.

Converteam’s responsibility is for a mission critical, integrated, package which includes major components of the electrical power generation, power distribution and propulsion systems and a vessel management system incorporating power management, machinery monitoring and control, DP control system, fire and gas, and emergency shutdown systems.

Speaking for STX, Shin Kwang-Ho commented, “The Converteam approach of offering the most comprehensively engineered package is incredibly attractive to us as a builder of sophisticated drilling units. It means that many of those complex interfaces between different elements are taken care of by one company and it leaves us to get on with the business of delivering a high quality product”.

Noble’s first Globetrotter class drillship, Noble Globetrotter, also equipped by Converteam, is due for delivery from STX in second half of 2011. Both Globetrotter units are contracted to work for Shell under 10 year charters.