OREANDA-NEWS. September 05, 2011. China Oilfield Services Limited (“COSL”)announced that its semi-submersible drilling platform COSLPioneer has commenced operation after fulfilling the technical requirements of Statoil ASA, a Norwegian energy company, reported the press-centre of COSL.

Drilling platforms operating in the North Sea have to be equipped with technologically-advanced facilities, highly reliable and adaptive to the harsh operating environment. In addition, the drilling platform operating companies have to meet the Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) Management standards the client requires. With top-rated organization structure, management system, advanced and well-maintained equipment including COSLPioneer, high level of sophistication of the crew members, COSL Drilling Europe AS (“CDE”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSL, was quickly granted an Acknowledgement of Compliance certificate (“AOC certificate”), a mandatory credential for operating in Norwegian waters. COSLPioneer has commenced operations after it has completed the necessary adjustments to meet the technical requirements of the client.

COSLPioneer has an overall length of 104.5 meters, an overall width of 65 meters and an overall depth of 36.85 meters. It has a design draught of 9.2 - 17.75 meters and is designed to operate in water depths of 70 – 750 meters. It has a racking capacity of 7,500 meters and a variable load capacity of 4,000 metric tons. It can support accommodation for up to 120 cabin crews. In this contract, COSLPioneer will complete work on its first well at a water depth of 120 meters and a designed well depth of 4,000 meters.

As COSL’s first semi-submersible drilling platform servicing under a contract in the North Sea, COSLPioneer brings CDE’s operation of semi-submersible drilling platform into a new stage. This also offers valuable experiences for CDE to construct, transfer and operate the succeeding platforms.