Maersk Drilling has secured a contract with Aker BP, on behalf of the Ivar Aasen license, who will employ the ultra-harsh environment jack-up rig Maersk Invincible for the drilling of three infill wells at the Ivar Aasen field offshore Norway. The contract has an estimated duration of 86 days and is expected to commence in September/October 2022. The contract value is approximately USD 22.4m, excluding integrated services provided and potential performance bonuses.

Maersk Invincible is contracted under the frame agreement that Maersk Drilling and Aker BP entered into in 2017 when the Aker BP Jack-up Alliance was established – which also includes Halliburton. An alliance incentive arrangement will apply for the work, based on actual delivery and performance. This contract at Ivar Aasen is not part of the agreement to renew the frame agreement that Maersk Drilling announced on 18 December 2021.

“We’re excited to announce Maersk Invincible’s next campaign for Aker BP. The rig will be deployed with brand-new low-emission upgrades, and we are ready to continue the great collaboration in the alliance which has led to impressive results for operational efficiency and emission reductions. The alliance’s focus on long-term planning and alignment of incentives for mutual gains are important factors in unlocking the investments needed to apply advanced technological solutions to reduce emissions,” says COO Morten Kelstrup of Maersk Drilling.

Maersk Invincible is an ultra-harsh environment CJ70 XLE jack-up rig, designed for year-round operations in the North Sea and featuring the capability to operate on shore power. It was delivered in 2016 and is currently operating for Aker BP offshore Norway. Prior to commencing the contract at Ivar Aasen, Maersk Invincible is scheduled to complete a special periodic survey as well as implementing hybrid, low-emission upgrades similar to the ones previously installed on Maersk Intrepid and Maersk Integrator.