Statoil announced late on Monday that it has reached an agreement to use Seadrill’s West Aquarius (DW semisub) deepwater drilling rig for Statoil’s 2012-2013 exploration activities offshore Newfoundland, Canada.
“We have ambitious exploration targets offshore Newfoundland, and securing rig capacity is essential for reaching those targets,” said Geir Richardsen, head of exploration for Statoil in Canada.
“We look forward to putting this rig’s capabilities into action.”
Starting in late 2012, Statoil will begin a three-well drilling program, offshore Newfoundland, including two exploration wells in the Flemish Pass Basin as well as an exploration well in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin.
“I am pleased that the company has acquired future rig capacity as exploration activity is a key component of Statoil’s ambitions to become a producing operator offshore Newfoundland,” added Kjell Magnus Myge, head of procurement for Statoil in Canada.
The West Aquarius drilling rig is a sixth-generation semi-submersible DP3 vessel built in South Korea in 2009. The vessel can operate in harsh environments up to 9,850 feet (3,000 meters) water depth. The rig has been taken on as an assignment from ExxonMobil Deepwater Rig Limited.
