Nigeria-based oil and gas services company, General Hydrocarbons Limited, has issued a Letter of Award to Scotland-based Dolphin Drilling (DD) for additional work in Nigeria.
Nairametrics understands that the letter of award was issued on Monday, January 9, 2023.
According to a statement, the mobilization fee, as well as the effective day rate associated with the minimum firm period of the letter of award is $325,000.
Further details on contract extension: The letter of award is for Dolphin Drilling’s semi-submersible drilling rig, the Blackford Dolphin. Following the previous contract, the rig will carry out additional work in Nigeria. According to Dolphin Drilling, the new award had the potential to extend the rig’s backlog by a minimum of 120 days and up to 485 days, in addition to the existing GHL backlog.
According to the company, the Blackford Dolphin rig will transit to Port Harcourt, Rivers state in February 2023 and commence its contract with GHL. In its statement, Dolphin Drilling stated:
- “Following a delayed departure from Mexico and reduced transit speed, Blackford Dolphin arrived in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, and was safely moored quayside on 24 November 2022. At the shipyard in Las Palmas, the rig has undergone a Special Periodic Survey (“SPS”) allowing for continuous work until 2028. Blackford Dolphin will remain at the shipyard until early February 2023. The capital cost associated with the SPS is in line with the budget of $15 million.”
For the record: The Blackford Dolphin rig has a maximum operating water depth of 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) and a maximum drilling depth of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters)
- General Hydrocarbons Limited is an oil and gas services company that started operations in Nigeria in 2009 and is the lead stakeholder of OML 120, and had plans to redevelop the Oyo state field in 2022.
- Nairametrics had earlier reported in October 2022 that Lagos-based General Hydrocarbons Limited (GHL) had awarded a $96 million contract to Dolphin Drilling (DD) for a 12-month drilling scope offshore work in Nigeria.
- At the time, Dolphin Drilling received a letter of award (LoA) for the Blackford Dolphin rig in Nigeria at $232,500 per day plus a mobilization fee of $12 million, for the GHL project. The project was scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022.