Matapal gas project : Maersk Drilling bags contract for Maersk Discoverer

Matapal gas project : Maersk Drilling has bagged a three-well contract worth around $78 million for the Maersk Discoverer semi-submersible rig from oil and gas giant BP to carry out development drilling at the offshore gas project in Trinidad and Tobago.

The drilling contract for the Danish drilling rig operator is expected to come into effect from July 2020 with an estimated duration of 322 days. Maersk Drilling’s contract also has the option of drilling an additional one-well at the Matapal gas project, which will see the development of the gas resources discovered by BP’s subsidiary BP Trinidad and Tobago (BPTT) in 2017 through the drilling of the Savannah exploration well.

Commenting on the Matapal gas project contract, Morten Kelstrup – Maersk Drilling COO said: “It is obviously exciting for us to see Maersk Discoverer go to Trinidad for BP, for whom the rig has performed successful operations offshore Egypt for the last six years, including the shallowest water well ever drilled in dynamic positioning mode for both BP and Maersk Drilling which delivered significant cost savings to the customer.

“We are very pleased that BP is recognising Maersk Discoverer’s qualities by re-signing the rig for this new campaign.”

Maersk Discoverer semi-submersible rig to be deployed at BP’s Matapal gas project. Photo courtesy of MAERSK DRILLING.

According to the Danish drilling rig operator, the Maersk Discoverer is a DSS-21 column-stabilised dynamically positioned semi-submersible drilling rig that can operate in water depths up to 10,000 ft. Currently, the semi-submersible drilling rig is operating in Egyptian waters.

The Matapal gas project, which will be the next destination for the Maersk Discoverer semi-submersible drilling rig, will involve a three-well subsea tie-back to the existing platform at the Juniper gas project.

First gas from the Matapal gas project is expected to be drawn in 2020. The offshore gas project in Trinidad and Tobago has a production capacity of 400 million standard cubic feet of gas a day.

Last month, Maersk Drilling won a $39 million contract from Royal Dutch Shell’s subsidiary BG International for its Mærsk Developer semi-submersible rig to be used for the drilling of a two-well development project offshore Trinidad and Tobago.