ExxonMobil will spin the bit next year in the Black Sea offshore Turkey with Transocean newbuild Deepwater Champion, the supermajor said on 16 March 2010. The sixth-generation Deepwater Champion, under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea, will be capable of drilling to 40,000ft in up to12,000ft of water. The vessel's drilling derrick contains two drilling stations capable of a variety of simultaneous operations. The derrick has two removable sections for more efficient transit under the bridges spanning the Bosphorus Strait at Istanbul. The DP drillship is capable of holding its position in open water in 30ft waves and 70mph winds.
In November 2008, ExxonMobil and Turkish national oil company TPAO entered into an agreement to jointly explore deepwater prospects in the Samsun block of AR/TPO/3922 exploration license and the eastern portion of AR/TPO/3921 exploration license in the Black Sea. In January 2010, ExxonMobil signed an agreement with Petrobras and TPAO to acquire a 25% interest in the Sinop, Ayancik and Çarşamba sub-blocks of the AR/TPO/3922 exploration license.
Author: Jennifer Pallanich
