KEPPEL FELS to Build Monstrous $500 Million Jack-Up

It’ll be quite a sight when Keppel FELS eventually conducts the jack-up test for TS Offshore’s new KFELS N Plus jack-up rig with it’s main deck towering 500 feet up in the air.

Scheduled for delivery in 1Q 2017, it will be the first jack-up rig built to Keppel’s new proprietary KFELS N Plus design which can operate in water depths up to 500-feet deep. Keppel FELS notes this ultra-high spec rig will be one of the first with the ability to work in such water depths.

A rig like this doesn’t come cheap either. Keppel notes the value of the newbuild contract with TS Offshore is worth around $500 million.

With its leg measuring 678 feet or about 68 storeys tall, and a maximum combined drilling load of over 3.86 million pounds, the KFELS N Plus can drill to depths of 35,000 feet, and is equipped with a 100-foot cantilever outreach. When delivered, it is expected to be deployed in the Eastern China Sea, but will also have provisions built-in to enable the rig to operate in the North Sea, according to Keppel.

Dr Xiong Shaohui, Chairman of TS Offshore, commented: “The KFELS N Plus rig is a robust and cost-efficient rig with distinctive safety and operational features. It is one of the world’s most advanced rigs of its class with better drilling capabilities, a superior cantilever load performance, a larger deck space, a higher variable load and enhanced accommodations. We are confident it fills the gap for ultra-high specification rigs needed in the Eastern China Sea or almost anywhere in the world with a need for high specification and deepwater jackup rigs. “We have chosen to build this unit in Singapore to meet specific customer requirements. Keppel FELS was probably the only yard able to provide us with such a high specification rig customised to our needs that would be well received by the market. With their strong delivery track record, we are also assured of receiving a high quality rig on time and in a safe manner, thus minimising any need for supervision during construction. Our strategic partnership with Keppel FELS will enable us to create value on our investments and grow our presence in this industry.”

The rig has been developed by Keppel’s R&D arm, Offshore Technology Development (OTD) and is an enhancement of Keppel’s proprietary KFELS N-Class design, three of which have been successfully operating in the North Sea. Equipped with 72 high capacity pinion jacks and self-positioning fixation system of OTD’s proprietary design, the KFELS N Plus design offers a robust performance during installation as well as elevated survival and drilling conditions.