South Korean Samsung Heavy Industries is to deliver topside components for Shtokman rigs to be build by Russia’s Vyborg Shipyard outside St. Petersburg for delivery in the second and third quarter of 2010.

The semi-submersible drilling rigs of the Norwegian Moss CS-50 design are capable of drilling in 350 metres of water and can accommodate 128 people. Vyborg Shipyard signed the rig contract with Gazprom last autumn. The rigs will have a service life of 20 years. Originally it was thought that the rig job would go to the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk in the Arkhangelsk Oblast, since this yard has experience with the Moss CS-50 design, but Gazprom chose Vyborg instead, Scandinavian Shipping Gazette reports according to RZD-Partner.