VESSEL REVIEW | Perro Negro 12 – Saipem to deploy second drilling rig in Middle East

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles recently handed over a new jackup oil drilling rig to Italian offshore services provider Saipem.

The ABS-classed Perro Negro 12 was designed by US engineering firm Friede and Goldman. The rig has an LOA of 59.745 metres, a beam of 55.78 metres, a transit draught of 4.8 metres, a moulded depth of 7.62 metres, and accommodations for up to 110 personnel. Three 125-metre legs allow the rig to operate in depths of as low as 91.44 metres while drilling can be performed down to a depth of 914 metres.

The rig is designed to withstand air temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius, wave heights of just over 15 metres, and wind speeds approaching 100 knots, making it ideal for the harsh working conditions of the Middle East. There is also a flight deck suitable for an eight-tonne helicopter while a four-point mooring system ensures secure positioning.

Five Caterpillar 3516C generators that each produce 1,530 ekW supply electrical power to the onboard systems, which include a Navtex receiver and an array of MF/HF, UHF, and VHF radios. Also fitted is a Caterpillar C32 710ekW emergency generator.

The safety equipment consists of two 160m³/hr firefighting pumps, two self-propelled lifeboats, five 25-person liferafts, and a six-person rescue boat. The ILO-compliant accommodation spaces include four-person cabins and mess facilities for a maximum of 120 people. Storage facilities meanwhile consist of a walk-in freezer, a walk-in chiller room, and a walk-in provisions room.

Perro Negro 12 will be operated by CIMC's offshore asset management company Ocean Challenger. The rig's initial deployment will be in the Middle East, where it will operate on behalf of Saudi Aramco alongside slightly its larger sister Perro Negro 11.

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