Keppel completes ultra deepwater rig

The Frigstad D90 semisubmersible rig is DP3 equipped and will be capable of operating in water depths of up to 3,600m. A significant part of Keppel FELS’ workscope on Scarabeo 9 involved the completion and commissioning of marine and onboard drilling systems.

The rig was named by Mrs Anna Tatka, spouse of Pietro Franco Tali, CEO of Saipem. Speaking at the ceremony, Tali said, “With Keppel’s proven track record, we were confident of receiving a rig of the highest quality delivered on time and in a safe manner. This sixth generation rig will be an important addition to our fleet as we expand our foothold to be one of the best balanced turnkey operators in the offshore and marine industry.”

Tong Chong Heong, CEO of Keppel Offshore & Marine, said: “In completing this complex rig, we leveraged our in-house engineering expertise, proven project management and execution capabilities to ensure quick turnaround times in providing value added solutions. We thank Saipem for their trust in us and are glad to be able to demonstrate our capabilities with this safe and on time delivery. This extends to all our projects for Saipem, including the completion of Castorone at Keppel Shipyard. We look forward to supporting Saipem as they grow their fleet of high specification products for different parts of the world.”

Keppel’s current projects for Saipem include the completion of a newbuild pipe laying vessel, Castorone, which is being jointly undertaken by Keppel Shipyard and Keppel Singmarine. Saipem has also previously sent the Saipem 7000, a semisubmersible crane and pipelaying vessel, for drydocking at the Keppel Verolme shipyard in the Netherlands in 2007. More recently, Keppel Verolme completed the repair and modification of the semisubmersible pipelay vessel, Castoro Sei.