CIMC Raffles starts building of jack-up drilling rig for Sinopec
Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore Limited commences work on a jack-up drilling rig named of “New Shengli #1” for Sinopec Sheng Li Oilfield Limited, which would further strengthen bilateral cooperation and also marked a new stage of the cooperation between these two companies, said in the company's press release.
At 10:00 am, #3 CNC plasma cutting machine in CIMC Raffles workshop cut the first steel plate for “New Shengli #1” . This jack-up drilling rig will be designed and constructed based on the latest rules and regulations from CCS and China MSA, with the total length of 56 meters, width of 54 meters, depth of 5.5 meters, designed operating depth of 50 meters and maximum drilling depth of 7000 meters. Besides, 30 wells at the maximum can be completed once after the cantilever positioned, and the rig is equipped with top drive and outfitted for 100 persons. “New Sheng Li #1” is scheduled to be completed on the end of March, 2014 and would be employed to exploit oil and gas in Bohai gulf.
In 1977, Yantai Shipbuilding Company (developed into CIMC Raffles) built bottom type drilling rig “Shengli #1” for Shengli Oilfield. 36 years’ later, by virtue of developed experience in advanced offshore equipment, CIMC Raffles gained this jack-up drilling rig “New Shengli #1” for Sinopec. During these 36 years, Shengli Oilfield’s offshore drilling rig has developed from “Shengli #1” to “Shengli #10” and meanwhile, originated from a local shipyard, Yantai Shipbuilding Company also developed into a nationally well-known offshore enterprise. CIMC Raffles also constructed “Shengli #3” and reconstructed “Shengli #2”, “Shengli #3”, “Shengli#5”,”Shengli#6” and “Shengli #8” for Shengli Oilfield. In 2012, Sinopec and CIMC Raffles signed strategic cooperation agreement. The construction of “New Shengli #1” set a new beginning on mutual cooperation.
“New Shengli #1” is the key project of Sinopec Group, and also is offshore drilling rig with the biggest size and the most advanced facilities. Its construction inherits Shengli Oilfield’s offshore exploration career and would support Shengli Oilfield’s “step out strategy” and found solid foundation for its development in drilling rig market. Besides, it will promote Shengli Oilfield’s offshore drilling construction ability, improve its international competiveness, inject new vigor to the goal of professional, classic and advanced development and provide advantages on exploiting offshore big field and keeping stable crude oil production.
CIMC Raffles owns 10 jack up drilling rigs with delivered and under-construction included, during which, the “Caspian Driller”, delivered in Astrakhan of Russia, appeared as the first advanced offshore project built in oversea and contracted in a Chinese enterprise.
As a specialized offshore company, CIMC Raffles has delivered 8 deepwater sub-submersible platforms which operated in world-wide mainstream market and sea areas, such as North Sea, West Africa, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and Persian Gulf and whose excellent performance won a good reputation during mainstream clients. The COSLpioneer, the first deepwater sub-submersible platform in China, surpassed Statoil’s more than 30 drilling rigs in North Sea and ranked first in Feb.2012 and May 2013, and was awarded as Monthly Platform. What’s more, it kept the No.1 record during the comprehensive evaluation for 7 months from Sept.2012 to May 2013, and has been ranked No.2 for 4 months. CMIC Raffles would gain more focus and approval from world-wide mainstream clients.