AGR has joined forces with Statoil to develop a new generation of Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) solution for floating rigs.

This phase of the project is worth US$5.1m (NOK31m).

The development project will build on two technologies. The first is AGR’s EC-Drill® system, which has been used successfully on two deep-water wells in the Gulf of Mexico since its introduction earlier this year. A shallow-water version of EC-Drill® has been used previously off Brazil, Egypt and in the Caspian Sea.

EC-Drill® is a step-change solution, solving a challenge commonly encountered in deep-water wells: drilling close to the fracture pressure. This is achieved by manipulating the bottom-hole pressure by changing the level of drilling mud in the riser.

The second technology is the Low Riser Return System™ (LRRS™) developed by Ocean Riser Systems.

Both EC-Drill® and LRRS™ have been nominated in the forthcoming ONS Innovation Awards in Norway.

David Hine, EVP at EDS-ORS, part of AGR, said: “EC-Drill® gives our clients a far greater degree of control, enhances safety and enables them to cost-effectively hit deep targets that are simply impractical to reach with more traditional techniques.

“We are delighted to be working with Statoil on providing a new MPD solution for floaters as we move towards the forefront of the marketplace.”

Last month saw the union of Norwegian companies Ocean Riser Systems (ORS) and Enhanced Drilling Solutions (EDS), part of AGR, to form EDS-ORS.