Statoil awards Arctic drillship design contract to Inocean

Statoil on Tuesday awarded a contract to Norwegian engineering firm Inocean for the design of the Cat I Drillship, described as the ‘drillship of tomorrow’, as part of the oil major’s plans to spur its Arctic programme. 

The drillship will be designed to suit the Statoil Arctic Step-up programme, ensuring that the design is suited for ice infested waters such as increasing capabilities, suitable winterization and a specific hull design. 

The design will be based on Statoil’s INO-80 Drillship, which was specially designed for year round operations in ultra-deep waters and challenging conditions.

Inocean won the contract after a 6-month design competition, with the contract containing the concept design and option for the FEED, planned to go on until the end of 2014. 

"Being developed for arctic operations, we are probably speaking of the most advanced and sophisticated unit evolved within drilling operations," said Jon Erik Borgen, CEO of Inocean.