Production halt called on F&G rig at DSIC

The fallout from last week's Sembmarine jack-up rig accident has hit further afield, with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Offshore (DSIC-Offshore) being notified by Friede & Goldman Marketing (F&G) to temporarily suspend construction of its rig jacking systems, Seatrade Asia online reports.

DSIC-Offshore, which is building four jack-up rigs for Prospector Offshore Drilling, has informed its client that it has been notified by F&G to temporarily suspend work on the rigs’ jacking systems, pending testing. F&G provides the rigs' design and engineering and supplies the jacking system through its own subcontractors.

DSIC-Offshore had previously experienced issues with some of the components of the jacking systems of F&G rigs currently under construction at their yard, and was investigating the jacking systems before receiving the letter from F&G. It believes however, that these issues, relating to its rigs, are limited in scope and is cooperating closely with DSIC-Offshore, F&G and ABS, to resolve them.

The first rig, Prospector 1, was previously expected to be delivered at the end of next month and mobilized to the North Sea for a long term drilling contract. Impact on the delivery date will need to wait till the evaluation of the jacking system is completed within the next few weeks, DSIC-Offshore said.