"West Venture"
It will be towed via the Suez Canal and, after final check-up operation, delivered to Smedvig.
The semisubmersible rig, capable of efficiently drilling oilfields in the seabed very deep from the surface, can operate at a maximum water depth of 1,500 meters even under the stringent weather and sea conditions of the North Sea. It is an ultra-high tech superautomated rig equipped with a dynamic positioning system (DPS) and an automatic pipe handling arrangement, and is one of the functionally most advanced of all the rigs ever built in the world.
Features
(1) The rig fully satisfies the Norwegian rules, which are the most strict in the world regarding the safety of the crew and environmental conservation.
(2) Its variable deck load, which corresponds to the deadweight of a conventional ship, is 5,500 tons (guaranteed), 1,000 tons greater than the previous largest.
(3) The maximum operable water depth is 1,500 m, far greater than the previous limit, which was about 800 to 900 m.
(4) It has a dynamic positioning function to keep itself in a fixed position, even in a very deep area where mooring with anchor chains is difficult, by using thrusters, of which eight are installed to keep balance with the external forces of winds, waves and tides.
(5) Twin derricks permitting simultaneous drilling of two wells are used to enhance drilling efficiency, and the latest ram rig system of Maritime Hydraulics AS is installed, which lifts and lowers drill pipes with hydraulic cylinders.
(6) To ensure safety of the crew, most of the more dangerous drilling work, including pipe handling, is automated.
(7) To control the output of crude oil, the rig is equipped with functions to efficiently install and hold subsea apparatuses to be positioned over the producing well.
Hitachi Zosen Corporation
Public Relations Division
Adress: 1-1, Hitotsubashi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8121
Tel: +81-3-3217-8418 Fax: +81-3-3217-8534 URL: http://www.hitachizosen.co.jp/
