Petrobas scores again in Santos Basin

Petrobras today announced the discovery of a new accumulation of good quality oil (26º API) in the Santos Basin pre-salt reservoirs.

The discovery resulted from drilling well 4-BRSA-818 (4-RJS-668), named Macunaíma, at a water depth of 2,134 meters, located in the 1-RJS -617D (Parati) assessment area and 244 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro State.

The discovery was confirmed through oil logging via cable test in the reservoirs located at a depth of about 5,680 meters.

Petrobras is the operator of the consortium for the exploration of block BM-S-10 (65%), which is also composed of BG Group (25%) and Partex Brasil (10%).

The consortium will continue the activities and investments necessary to assess the deposits discovered in this area as per the Evaluation Plan approved by the National Petroleum Regulator (ANP), the completion of which is expected to take place in April of 2012.

Royal Navy’s ‘HMS Queen Elizabeth’ under construction

Pictured here is construction of the first of the two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy, HMS Queen Elizabeth, as workers at BAE Systems’ Govan yard moved two giant sections of the hull together for the first time.

The structure is so big that it fills an entire hall at Govan and now extends beyond the doors onto the yard.

It took a team of 20 employees and remote controlled transporters just one hour to move 1,221 tonnes of steel over 100 metres across the shipyard. The hull section was then manoeuvred carefully into position to line up with the rest of the block.

The two sections brought together today form the mid section of the hull up to the hangar deck and is referred to as Lower Block 03. Workers will continue to outfit the block, which on completion will weigh over 9,300 tonnes and stand over 23 metres tall, 63 metres long and 40 metres wide. She is set to embark to Rosyth in the latter part of this year, where HMS Queen Elizabeth will be assembled in the dry dock.

Maersk Group, has signed a contract with Keppel worth $1.2b

Maersk Drilling, an entity within the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group, has signed a contract with Keppel FELS Limited in Singapore for the construction of two ultra harsh, high capacity jack-up drilling rigs. The first rig is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2013, with the second rig following seven months later.  The total project cost for the two rigs is close to USD 1.2 billion. This includes turnkey contract with the yard, owner furnished equipment, project management, commissioning, start-up costs and capitalized interest. The contract includes the option for the construction of one additional jack-up rig to be declared by July 2011.

“The decision to invest in additional offshore drilling rigs is based on our strong view on the fundamentals of the offshore drilling industry and our ambition to further strengthen our position in the markets we have chosen to be in,” says A.P. Moller – Maersk Group CEO, Nils S. Andersen.

The rigs will represent a new generation of jack-up rigs. The design is an enhanced version of the proven Gusto MSC CJ-70-150MD design and includes a number of features that will further improve the rigs’ drilling performance.  The rigs are especially suited for operation in the harsh environment of the North Sea at water depths up to 150 metres. The high capacity features include offline pipe handling and simultaneous operations as well as an enlarged  cantilever reach,  which will significantly increase the drilling efficiency compared to conventional units. The enhanced design also includes multi-machine control on the drill floor, which will allow for a degree of automation to ensure a safe operation and consistent performance. A total of 150 people can be accommodated on board in single cabins.

“The order is consistent with our strategy to further solidify our position as a leading operator of ultra harsh, high capacity drilling rigs,” says Claus V. Hemmingsen, CEO of Maersk Drilling. “These rigs are designed to meet the customers’ increasing demand for safe and highly efficient drilling operations and the enhanced features of this design will make the rigs superior to other rigs in the market. “

The new rigs are targeted for the Norwegian market and will comply with the strict regulatory rules in Norway. “We believe in continued strong demand for high capacity jack-up rigs on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, and have a strong track record since 1989 of operating in this challenging environment.  Our commitment to build another two ultra harsh, high capacity rigs has been well received by our customers,” says Claus V. Hemmingsen.

In addition to the two jack-up rigs just ordered, Maersk Drilling’s modern fleet counts 26 drilling rigs including deepwater semi-submersibles, high-end jack-up rigs and cantilevered drilling barges.

Ukrainian naval pilots held training flights over sea

Pilots of Naval Aviation Brigade (Saki, Ukraine) performed about 20 training flights over the sea on Feb 11 (see photos). 

According to brigade commander Col. Vladimir Khomenko, that was the fifth flights in 2011. Six aerial vehicles took part in the training flights – two aircrafts Be-12, and one An-26; helicopters Mi-14, Ka-27PS(search-and rescue) and Ka-27PL (antisubmarine). 

Curiously, it was the first time when pilot in command (PIC) of Mi-14 was a junior officer – 1LT Vitaly Telnykh. In addition, two lieutenants performed flights as PIC assistants of Mi-14. 

During the flights aircrew of Ka-27PS carried out training tasks on search and rescue of "sufferers" at sea. Also firstly in 2011, Ka-27PS controlled by brigade commander dropped a life-rescue team. Then the "sufferers" were lifted aboard the helicopter by windlass. 

According to Col. Vladimir Khomenko, aircrews of Ka-27PL practiced antisubmarine activities; aircrafts Be-12 performed training flights after lifetime-prolongation overhaul, and An-26 – after scheduled engine replacement. 

All training tasks were carried out excellently, reported brigade commander Col. Vladimir Khomenko.

Admiral Vinogradov escorts the ninth convoy

Pacific Fleet (PF) large ASW ship Admiral Vinogradov which currently takes part in the anti-piracy campaign off the Horn of Africa started escorting another convoy, reported Prima Mediaciting Roman Martov, press secretary of PF Commander. 

"The ninth convoy of Admiral Vinogradov consists of two vessels", he said. "At present, the convoy moves through the hazardous Bab el Mandeb strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden". 

Recall that PF task force consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Vinogradov, sea-going salvage tug, and tanker Pechenga arrived from Vladivostok to the Gulf of Aden on Dec 22, 2010. There are marine units on board Admiral Vinogradov, as well as two deck-based helicopters conducting permanent aerial reconnaissance.

Underwater test launch of BrahMos missile to be carried out in 2011

Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace has developed submarine-launched modification of BrahMos cruise missile; test launch is scheduled in the current year, said the company's executive director Sivathanu Pillai. 

The company has already developed the submarine-launched version, he said. It is planned to conduct the test launch from drowned platform placed on a special pontoon. The launch is supposed to be performed this year, added the executive director. 

As was previously reported, the Russian-Indian company had developed a modification of BrahMoss upersonic cruise missile designed for submarines. 

Russian-Indian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace was established in India in 1998 for production of supersonic antiship missiles. The company was founded by NPO Mashinostroyenia (Russia) and Defense Research and Development Organisation (India).

U.S. Navy Destroyer's Mast Breaks Off while the warship was underway off the northern Florida coast

The upper part of the mast on the destroyer Gravely broke off Feb. 13 while the warship was underway off the northern Florida coast, the U.S. Navy has confirmed.

"While underway conducting routine operations Feb. 13, USS Gravely (DDG 107) experienced structural damage to the mast mounted antenna. No personnel were injured during the incident," Cmdr. Elissa Smith, a spokesperson for the Second Fleet in Norfolk, said in a Feb. 15 e-mail to Defense News. "USS Gravely's crews took immediate action and secured the damaged mast-mounted antenna. The cause and extent of the damage is unknown.

"The ship safely returned to Mayport, Fla. at approximately 10 a.m. local yesterday and is undergoing assessment. Commander, U.S. Second Fleet and Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic are taking prudent actions to ensure safe, efficient and effective repairs to the ship. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is leading the investigation to identify the root cause of the failure."

The Gravely, a DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer, was built by Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Shipyard in Mississippi and is virtually a new ship, having been commissioned last November.

NAVSEA was unable initially to respond to a question as to whether other ships of the Arleigh Burke class have suffered similar damage. The Gravely is the 57th ship of the class, which remains in production.

"The investigation will determine the root cause of the failure and whether similar conditions exist on other ships of the class," said Alan Baribeau, a NAVSEA spokesman in Washington.

A video production crew from Discovery Channel Canada and Exploration Productions in Toronto was on board the Gravely at the time of the incident, working on an upcoming episode of the Mighty Ships series. A spokesman for the company in Toronto declined to comment on the incident.

Judging from a photo produced online by the Web site coltoncompany.com, the break was clean, coming at a weld joining the uppermost part of the mast to a lower part, just above and behind the URN-25 aircraft navigational beacon. The mast appears to have been kept from falling off completely by the electrical cables running inside.