Odfjell Drilling Shetland Ltd has received a notice of early termination from BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd of the contract for semi-submersible Deepsea Aberdeen.The contract was originally due to expire in April 2022. In accordance with the contract terms, Odfjell Drilling will be compensated with an early termination fee through monthly payments until April 2022.

Concurrent with the BP termination, Odfjell Drilling has been awarded a contract by Wintershall Dea Norge AS for use of the Deepsea Aberdeen on exploration wells at Dvalin North and Bergknapp fields and development wells at Vega field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The contract consists of four firm and three optional wells with an expected firm duration of approximately 300 days. The contract is anticipated to commence in February/March 2021. In addition, Wintershall Dea and Odfjell Drilling have entered into a long-term frame agreement for potential future rig needs.

As the Wintershall Dea contract falls within the original BP contract duration, BP shall be entitled to a reduction in termination fee payments while the Deepsea Aberdeen is operating for Wintershall. In total, Odfjell Drilling expects to maintain the same net cash flow as would have been the case with continued operations under the original BP contract.

“We would like to thank BP for their co-operation and support throughout the Deepsea Aberdeen contract thus far. The teamwork and overall efficiency of the well execution has been impressive. We look forward to continued cooperation on the platform drilling operations provided by Odfjell Drilling.

The Wintershall Dea contract is an important addition to Odfjell Drilling and we look forward to once again working with Wintershall Dea in the Norwegian sector. The contract is another recognition of Odfjell Drilling’s ability to provide efficient drilling operations in harsh environments.” says CEO of Odfjell Drilling AS, Simen Lieungh.

Deepsea Aberdeen is at CCB outside Bergen where it will stay while securing the Acknowledgement of Compliance with Norwegian Authorities and preparing for the Wintershall Dea Contract.

About Odfjell Drilling

Odfjell Drilling is a listed international drilling, well service and engineering company with 2500 employees and operations in more than 20 countries.

About Wintershall Dea

Wintershall Dea is Europe’s leading independent natural gas and oil company with more than 120 years of experience as an operator and project partner along the entire E&P value chain. The company with German roots and headquarters in Kassel and Hamburg explores for and produces gas and oil in 13 countries worldwide in an efficient and responsible manner. With activities in Europe, Russia, Latin America and the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa), Wintershall Dea has a global upstream portfolio and, with its participation in natural gas transport, is also active in the midstream business.

Wintershall Dea was formed from the merger of Wintershall Holding GmbH and DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG, in 2019. Today, the company employs around 2,800 people worldwide from over 60 nations.