CIMC Raffles Receives Orders to Construct Drillship, Semisub

Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore Limited (CIMC Raffles), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CIMC Group, announced Wednesday that it has secured an order from a wholly-owned subsidiary of Norshore Holdings AS to build 1 unit of Multi-Purpose Drillship. The drillship is scheduled to be delivered in the second half year of 2016. In addition, Norshore has options to build up to another 3 similar drillships with CIMC Raffles.

The contracted drillship is a small-sized, multi-purpose drillship designed for riser-less drilling and well intervention operations globally, including the North Sea.

Norshore is a drilling contractor headquartered in Bergen, Norway, which was established in April of 2007. Norshore supports the oil and gas production globally, by providing innovative and high efficient services, as well as the multi-purpose drilling ships with energy-saving and eco-friendly features.

Separately, CIMC Raffles has clinched an order from Beacon Holdings Group Ltd, to build one unit of harsh environment ice class semisubmersible drilling rig. The semisub, which will be named Beacon Atlantic (mid-water semisub), is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2016. In addition, the Owner has an option to build another similar semisub with CIMC Raffles.

Beacon Atlantic will be built to the GM4-D design, which is carried out in cooperation between CIMC Raffles and the designer Global Maritime.

Beacon Atlantic is able to operate at water depth up to 1,640 feet (500 meters) and drill wells down to 26,246 feet (8,000 meters). It is equipped with NOV drilling package, DP3 and 8-point mooring system. The semisub is designed to operate in the harsh North Sea environment and also other challenging regions such as the Arctic and Barents Sea. It is able to resist the strongest storm in the North Sea, and fulfills the requirements of NMA, NORSOK and PSA Standards. The semisub is classed by DNV.

Beacon Atlantic is the second GM4-D design semisub contracted by CIMC Raffles after the first unit which is named North Dragon (mid-water semisub). North Sea Rigs AS is managing the projects on behalf of the owners for both rigs.