With the offshore sector as busy as ever, new charters expectedly continue to be awarded at a steady pace. It is interesting to note that the succession of recent awards indicates activity is ramping up in the drilling, maintenance, accommodation, and subsea construction segments, particularly for oil and gas clients in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Maersk Drilling awarded one-well extension for low-emission rig with Equinor
Maersk Drilling is continually proving itself a capable partner to Equinor Energy, hence compelling the latter to exercise the option to add development drilling of one additional well at the Martin Linge field offshore Norway to the work scope of the low-emission rig Maersk Intrepid. The contract has an estimated duration of 80 days, with work expected to commence in September 2021 in direct continuation of the rig's current work scope.
The contract value of the extension is approximately US$29.5 million, including integrated services provided, but excluding potential performance bonuses.
Solstad wins Global Marine charter for CSV
In the area of enjoying clients' continued trust, Solstad Offshore is another prime example. The company was recently awarded a new contract by Global Marine Group (GMG) for the construction support vessel (CSV) Normand Cutter. This is in direct continuation of the vessel's current charter with GMG and will commence in March.
The firm duration of the contract is 120 days plus 80 days options thereafter. In addition, GMG has the option to extend the contract for up to 200 days in 2022, exercisable by August 1, 2021.
Global Offshore, part of Global Marine Group, will utilise Normand Cutter on cable installation, trenching, maintenance, and repair projects both within the renewable energy and oil and gas markets.
The vessel has been operating in support of the Kriegers Flak wind farm offshore Denmark.
Solstad AHTS, PSV secure work in Australia
Solstad has also been experiencing good fortune halfway around the world. Firstly, the company's large anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Normand Ranger has been awarded a contract in Australia for commencement in the second quarter of 2021. The vessel will mobilise from Norway and will then provide support to a major drilling campaign off the northern coast of Western Australia, securing about one year of utilisation.
During the drilling campaign, which will also include support from the Solstad AHTS Normand Saracen and Far Senator, Normand Ranger will operate in connection with a moored semi-submersible drilling rig, with the base port being Dampier.
Just a short hop away in Timor Leste, Solstad's platform supply vessel (PSV) Far Seeker has been awarded a contract by Santos. The vessel will support drilling activities offshore Timor Leste while operating predominantly from Darwin.
The firm contractual period for Far Seeker is approximately six months, with further options available to Santos, and is scheduled for commencement in April 2021.
Sapura Drilling rig charter extended by Shell
There's more drilling work to be done in Southeast Asia, as evidenced by Sapura Energy's Brunei drilling arm Sapura Drilling being awarded a contract extension for its semi-submersible tender assisted drilling rig Sapura Pelaut.
The extension means the rig will continue working for Brunei Shell Petroleum.
CWind Taiwan to support Van Oord in cable route survey for Greater Changhua wind farms
In terms of offshore wind activity in Asia, the segment is also showing steady progress in Taiwan. CWind Taiwan has been awarded a contract by Van Oord to charter a survey boat for the near-shore cable route survey of Ørsted's greater Changhua 1 and 2a offshore wind farms.
Starting this March, CWind Taiwan will use the Taiwanese-flagged survey boat Ocean Surveyor 3 to support Van Oord to conduct multibeam surveys of the wind farms. To ensure optimal accuracy of the survey data, CWind Taiwan will refit Ocean Surveyor 3 with a moon pool prior to project commencement.
Rem Offshore PSV tapped for Vår Energi contract
Rem Offshore's PSV Rem Arctic has been awarded a one-year contract by Vår Energi for an undisclosed project. The contract also includes four six-month options.
Commencement of the contract is in March or April 2021.
GC Rieber SURF vessel bags extension, new contract
GC Rieber Shipping has entered into an agreement with DeepOcean to extend the charter of the subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) installation vessel Polar Onyx until the end of May 2021. The extended period will be in direct continuation of the ongoing charter in Ghana, which started in January 2018.
Polar Onyx will then enjoy a brief reprieve for, upon completion of the charter in Ghana, the vessel will be deployed for work in the North Sea with an undisclosed subsea client. The charter will commence on July 1, 2021, and holds a firm duration of three months plus options
The North Sea charter will see Polar Onyx return to European waters for the first time since 2016.
Total E&P Netherlands contracts EDT for walk-to-work, flotel services
Cyprus-based EDT Shipmanagement today has been awarded a new contract by Total Exploration and Production Nederland following a successful competitive tender carried out in 2020.
The DP3 service operation vessel (SOV) EDT Protea will operate as a walk-to-work and accommodation vessel in support of Total in Dutch waters. The service will commence in March 2021 and will run in periods throughout 2021 with options to extend into both 2022 and 2023.7
Prosafe vessel to provide accommodation support for CNOOC Petroleum Europe in UK North Sea
Accommodation vessels continue to be in high demand in Europe. Prosafe has entered into an agreement with CNOOC Petroleum Europe for the charter of the accommodation vessel Safe Boreas to provide gangway connected operations supporting the Buzzard platform complex in the UK sector of the North Sea. The firm duration of the contract commencing mid-April 2021 is 100 days with three 30-day options.
The total value of the contract excluding the option periods is approximately US$8.5 million.
Turner Iceni starts crewboat support for RWE at Galloper wind farm
UK-based crewboat operator has begun providing support for Germany's RWE at the Galloper offshore wind farm off the English coast.
The contract has a firm period of two years. Turner Iceni will operate its crewboats out of Lowestoft for the duration of the contract.