Odfjell Drilling, a Norwegian offshore drilling contractor, has signed a management contract for the sixth-generation semi-submersible rig Beacon Pacific, which has been contracted by Serica Energy for a six-well campaign in the North Sea off the coast of the UK.
Drilling Contract Details
The drilling contract has been signed between Serica Energy and the rig's owner, Beacon Pacific Offshore, with operations set to begin in the third quarter of 2027. This agreement includes six firm wells and options for additional drilling activities in the area.
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Odfjell will be responsible for managing the rig's operations throughout the contract duration, which includes the rig's relocation and transfer to the UK. Rig refurbishment work has already begun so that Odfjell can take over management soon.
Features of the Beacon Pacific Rig
The Beacon Pacific rig is a sixth-generation semi-submersible designed for harsh environments, built with a design similar to the Deepsea Yantai rig, which is managed by Odfjell. Under this new contract, the number of rigs managed by Odfjell will increase to nine high-specification drilling rigs in harsh environments.
Serica had previously outlined multi-year drilling plans in its UK portfolio, targeting initial wells at the Bruce field, where Serica holds 98% of the activities. This will be the first new drilling activity in the Bruce field since 2012.
Production Forecast and Drilling Opportunities
Serica expects this campaign to provide additional production through connections to existing infrastructure, with the first output from the new wells anticipated within 12 months of the start of drilling. The company has also identified potential drilling opportunities in the Kyla field and West Shetland developments, although it has not yet specified how it will allocate the remaining rigs.
In a previous operational update, Serica announced that the targeted opportunities in the drilling program could yield up to 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in additional production.
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