BP Charters Solstad Offshore Vessel Trio for Ironbark Drilling Support

BP has chartered Solstad Offshore's three offshore support vessels to support its Ironbark drilling campaign in Australia.

Norway's based offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore said Monday that BP had awarded contracts for two anchor handling tug and supply vessels Normand Saracen and Far Senator, along with the platform supply vessel  Normand Leader.

The vessels will be working with Diamond Offshore's semi-submersible drilling rig ‘Ocean Apex’ throughout the one well campaign, estimated at approximately 90 days duration. 

The contract for the vessel trio is expected to start during Q4 2020, and the vessels will operate from Dampier, Australia.

"This represents BP’s first drilling campaign in Australia for several years and Solstad are pleased to be the vessel partner of choice to support BP’s activities," Solstad Offshore said.

BP last month received regulatory approval for the planned drilling of the Ironbark prospect at the WA-359-P permit offshore Western Australia.

BP is acting as the operator of the project - estimated to contain 15tcf of prospective recoverable gas resource - on behalf of its parters Cue Exploration, Beach Energy, and NZOG.

The Ironbark exploration drilling program is planned in Permit WA-359-P, located in Commonwealth waters approx. 170 km offshore from Karratha.

The program comprises the drilling, evaluation, and plugging and abandonment of one exploration well.  The proposed well is located in Commonwealth waters and has a water depth of approximately 300 meters.

Ironbark-1 drilling activities are planned to start in October 2020 with final timing dependent on the progress of the current drilling program being conducted by the rig for another operator.