Ocyan signs new contract with Petrobras to lease Norbe VI

Ocyan has signed a two-year contract with Petrobras to lease Norbe VI, one of its 6 deepwater drilling rigs. The vessel is a semi-submersible drilling rig with dynamic positioning capable of operating up to 2,400 meters of water depth and drilling wells up to 7,500 meters. The rig was built in 2010 and was in contract with Petrobras until 2018. With the deal all Ocyan rigs are contracted.

“The contract signature shows that we are on the right track, as we kept Norbe VI preserved all this time for the return to the market, which occurred within the established goal. It shows that we have overcome all the challenges and prove our competence and operational excellence”, celebrates Heitor Gioppo, Ocyan Drilling Unit Superintendent Director.

The rig was one of those classified by Petrobras in the bidding for the contracting of equipment capable of operating on 2,000 meters of water depth in Brazilian waters bounded by geographic coordinates according to Concession Agreements, Assignment Agreements or Production Sharing Agreements. Norbe VI had been warm-stacked for ten months at Enseada Indústria Naval shipyard in Maragogipe, Bahia. There, the vessel went through the various stages of the integrated preservation project, aiming to maintain its equipment and systems, that is, maintaining the integrity of the unit for future well intervention projects.

In mid-August, the platform will arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Guanabara Bay, and will undergo a new phase of maintenance and adaptation to meet the requirements of this new contract. “We will bring the rig to Rio de Janeiro for final adjustments. Our forecast is to start work in the last quarter of 2019”, explains the executive.

According to Marcos Sampaio, rig manager, the new contract will be developed within the strategic planning prepared for the asset. “About 150 people work in one rig. The crew of the rig is prepared and motivated for the new contract”, points out.

Norbe VI milestones

The semi-submersible rig was already contracted by Petrobras and operated during the period from 2011 to mid-2018 and had as its favorable indicator the two-year mark with no accidents on board. The contract was concluded with 98% operational uptime (efficiency ratio) and second place in Petrobras performance ranking (Sondópolis).