Singapore’s largest newbuild jack-up rig by Jurong Shipyard bound for the North Sea

The rig has secured a five-year contract from leading energy company Statoil for deployment to the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

In a release by Sembcorp Marine, West Elara – the first of two ultra-large, high-specification, harsh-environment Gusto MSC CJ70 150A jack-up rigs built by Sembcorp Marine’s subsidiary Jurong Shipyard for North Atlantic Drilling, a subsidiary of Seadrill Limited – is poised to make rigbuilding history in Singapore as the nation’s largest jack-up newbuild following its turnkey construction success.

Classed among the biggest and most advanced jack-ups in the world, West Elara is built to meet stringent the Norwegian NORSOK standard for operations in the North Sea. The rig has secured a five-year contract from leading energy company Statoil for deployment to the Norwegian Continental Shelf, an area which requires strict compliance to high standards of health, safety and environment.

On completion, West Elara will be the largest and highest capability jack-up to join Seadrill’s new and modern rig fleet. The rig will be the sixth drilling unit constructed by Jurong Shipyard in Seadrill’s fleet, following three Friede & Goldman ultra-deepwater semi-submersibles, a Moss Maritime CS50 MK II semi-submersible, and West Cressida, a Pacific Class 375 jack-up rig acquired by Seadrill in 2010.

Representing a major milestone for Jurong Shipyard, West Elara is the yard’s first harsh-environment high-specification jack-up newbuild and the largest of its kind to be constructed by the yard.

The Gusto MSC CJ70 150A design rig has the ability to drill to depths of 10,670 metres in water depths of up to 150 metres, with a higher variable deck load and a higher operating efficiency compared to previous jack-up generations. The rig’s ultra-large size also allows for additional opportunities within areas like logistics, well testing and early production.