Scarabeo 9
| {{Infobox ship begin |display title=ital}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = frameless | Ship caption = Scarabeo 9 outside Phuket, Thailand, undergoing sea trials }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship name = Scarabeo 9 | Ship owner = Saipem | Ship operator = Saipem | Ship registry = Nassau, {{BAH}} | Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder =*Yantai Raffles Shipyard | Ship original cost = US$750 million | Ship yard number = YRF-2006-189 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = 1 April 2008 | Ship launched = | Ship completed = 19 August 2011 | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = 2011 | Ship out of service = | Ship identification =*Call sign: C6YV7 | Ship status = Operational }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Ship type = DNV 676–Column-stabilised Unit | Ship tonnage = {{DWT|23,965}}; {{GT|36,863}}; {{NetT|11,059}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|115|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|78|m|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|23.6|m|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = {{convert|35.4|m|abbr=on}} | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = 8 x Wärtsilä 12V32LNE 7,200 BHP | Ship speed = | Ship capacity = | Ship crew = 200 | Ship notes = {{cite ship register |register=DNV |id=27764 |shipname=Scarabeo 9 |accessdate=2012-07-01 }} }} |
Scarabeo 9 is a Frigstad D90-type ultra deepwater 6th generation semi-submersible drilling rig. It is owned and operated by Saipem. It was named by Anna Tatka, the wife of Pietro Franco Tali, CEO of Saipem.
{{cite news
| title= Keppel Completes Saipem Ultra Deepwater Rig
| url= http://www.marinelink.com/news/completes-deepwater339733.aspx
| work = MarineLink
| date = 2011-07-31
| accessdate= 2012-07-07}}
Description
Scarabeo 9 is one of the largest offshore drilling rigs in the world.
{{cite news
| title= Scarabeo 9 – The Massive Oil Drilling Vessel
| url= http://www.marineinsight.com/marine/marine-news/featured/scarabeo-9-%E2%80%93-the-massive-oil-drilling-vessel/
| work = Marine Insight News Network
| date = 2011-11-07
| accessdate= 2012-07-08}}
It is the first (and as of 2012 the only) Frigstad Engineering developed Frigstad D90 design rig ever built.
{{cite news
| newspaper = Upstream Online
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| title = Saipem may move from CIMC Raffles
| author = Xu Yihe
| url= http://www.upstreamonline.com/hardcopy/news/article226857.ece
| date = 2011-01-10
| accessdate=2012-07-09}}
The rig is able to operate at the water depth up to {{convert|11811|ft}}, which is classified by the oil industry as "ultra-deepwater", and its drilling depth is {{convert|15200|m}}.{{cite web | title=Scarabeo 9 | url= http://www.saipem.com/site/article.jsp?idArticle=5430&instance=2&node=2012&channel=2&ext=template/37DueColonne&int=article/1DefaultArticolo | date=2010-01-22 | publisher=Saipem | accessdate= 2012-07-01}}
{{cite news
| title= Spain's Repsol begins Cuba offshore drilling-sources
| url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-oil-idUSTRE8111X320120202
| work = Reuters
| first = Jeff | last = Franks
| date = 2012-02-02
| accessdate= 2012-07-08}}
The water depth still suitable for its operations is twice as much as for Deepwater Horizon.
{{cite report
| title= As Cuba plans to drill in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. policy poses needless risks to our national interest
| url= http://democracyinamericas.org/pdfs/Cuba_Drilling_and_US_Policy.pdf
| publisher = Center for Democracy in the Americas
| year = 2011
| pages = 18; 26
| accessdate= 2012-07-08}}
The drilling equipment was provided by the Norwegian engineering company Aker Solutions.
{{cite news
| newspaper = Upstream Online
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| title = Change of yard for the Scarabeo 9 rig
| author = Tan Hwee Hwee; Xu Yihe
| url= http://www.upstreamonline.com/hardcopy/news/article1200272.ece
| date = 2010-10-01
| accessdate=2012-07-09
| url-access = subscription
}}
Scarabeo 9 has a length of {{convert|115|m}} and a breadth of {{convert|78|m}}. Its gross tonnage is 36,863, dead weight tonnage 23,965, and net tonnage 11,059 tonnes. The vessel is powered by eight Wärtsilä 12V32 diesel engines. It is equipped with two cranes.
The rig includes quarters for up to 200 workers. There is also a helicopter deck suitable for MI8, S61, and EH101 helicopters. The rig has been described by the industry sources as "the latest technology for deepwater drilling operations."
Construction and delivery
File:TAISUN with SCARABEO 9.JPG crane at the Yantai Raffles Shipyard holds the 17,100 metric ton deck box of Scarabeo 9 in the air as the barge is moved out from underneath.]]
Scarabeo 9 was ordered by Frigstad Offshore, a Singapore based offshore drilling rigs management service company. For this purpose, a special project company Frigstad Discoverer was established in 2006. The original name of the vessel was decided to be Frigstad Oslo. In 2007, the project company was acquired by Italian engineering and offshore services provider company Saipem and it was decided to rename the rig Scarabeo 9.
The rig cost US$750 million to build.
{{cite news
| title= Cuban oil project fuels US anxieties
| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15737573
| work =BBC News
| first = Michale | last = Voss
| date = 2011-11-15
| accessdate= 2012-07-01}}
It was constructed at the Yantai Raffles Shipyard in Yantai, China. The contract was signed on 5 April 2006, the keel was laid on 1 April 2008, and originally the construction was to be completed in September 2009. After several delays at the Yantai Raffles shipyard it was shipped to the Keppel FELS shipyard in Singapore for the final completion in 2010.
{{cite news
| title= Chinese-built oil rig setting sail for Cuban waters
| url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/cuba-oil-idUKN1E77P03U20110826
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160306125551/http://uk.reuters.com/article/cuba-oil-idUKN1E77P03U20110826
| url-status= dead
| archive-date= March 6, 2016
| work = Reuters
| first = Jeff | last = Franks
| date = 2011-08-26
| accessdate= 2012-07-07}}
The reason of delays was related to a number of orders which were carried out simultaneously at the Yantai Raffles shipyard. Changing shipyards caused additional cost of between US$70 and 100 million.
{{cite news
| newspaper = Upstream Online
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| title = Frigstad chases second tender for D-90 unit
| url= http://www.upstreamonline.com/hardcopy/news/article240911.ece
| date = 2011-01-07
| accessdate=2012-07-08}}
Beside of the Keppel FELS shipyard also the SembCorp Marine's Jurong Shipyard in Singapore was considered for the completion works.
On its way to Singapore, a water leak occurred due to "water raining into the tanks from the top that was not been drained out."
{{cite news
| newspaper = Upstream Online
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| title = Fresh delay for Scarabeo-9
| url= http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article241069.ece
| date = 2011-01-10
| accessdate=2012-07-08}}
The incident caused an extensive inspection to assure its seaworthiness. The main part of Keppel's work involved the completion and commissioning of marine and drilling systems on board.
The rig was delivered to Saipem on 25 August 2011.
{{cite press release
| title= Delivery of the "Scarabeo 9" Ultra Deepwater Drilling Unit
| url= http://offshore.frigstad.com/newsDetails.aspx?newsID=119&type=pr&itemID=4
| publisher = Frigstad Offshore
| date = 2011-08-25
| accessdate= 2012-07-07}}
On her maiden voyage to Cuba, Scarabeo 9 was escorted around the Cape of Good Hope by the Fairmount Marine owned tugboat Fairmount Glacier.
{{cite press release
| title= Fairmount Glacier successfully assisted rig Scarabeo 9
| url= http://www.fairmount.nl/index.php/news/detail/229
| publisher = Fairmount Marine
| date = 2011-11-18
| accessdate= 2012-07-07}}
Compliance with the embargo against Cuba
The rig was specifically built for drilling in the waters of Cuba. It is compliant with the United States embargo against Cuba, which limits the amount of American technology that can be used in equipment used there, as less than 10% of its parts are American-made.
{{cite news
| title= Cuban oil rig set to cause waves in Washington
| url= http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/18/us-cuba-usa-rig-idUKTRE74H0L220110518
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121128221926/http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/05/18/us-cuba-usa-rig-idUKTRE74H0L220110518
| url-status= dead
| archive-date= 2012-11-28
| work = Reuters
| first = Daniel | last = Wallis
| date = 2011-05-18
| accessdate= 2012-07-07}}
{{cite news
| title= PdVSA to perform exploratory drill
| url= http://www.cubastandard.com/2012/06/06/pdvsa-to-perform-exploratory-drill/
| newspaper= Cuba Standard
| date = 2012-06-06
| accessdate= 2012-07-02}}
{{cite news
| title= With rig, offshore oil within Cuba's grasp
| url= http://www.sltrib.com/csp/cms/sites/sltrib/pages/printerfriendly.csp?id=53335885
| newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune
| agency = Associated Press
| first = Peter| last = Orsi
| date = 2012-01-21
| accessdate= 2012-07-02}}
The news agency Reuters has reported that only the blowout preventer of Scarabeo 9 is manufactured in the United States.
{{cite news
| title= Scarabeo 9 Arrives in Cuban Waters
| url= http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/scarabeo-9-arrives-in-cuban-waters/
| work = Offshore Energy Today
| date = 2012-01-20
| accessdate= 2012-07-08}}
This is one of the most critical devices for well control during the offshore drilling as malfunctioning of the blowout preventer was one of the reasons of the Deepwater Horizon explosion. However, due to the United States embargo, the original equipment manufacturer is not allowed to provide spare parts or repair items for the blowout preventer.
{{cite news
| title= Drilling Off Cuba, and How the Embargo Could be Very Costly for the US
| url = https://regator.com/p/256093073/drilling_off_cuba_and_how_the_embargo_could/
| work = gCaptain
| first = Rob | last = Almeida
| date = 2012-05-18
| accessdate= 2012-07-08}}
On its way to Cuba, in Trinidad it was inspected by the United States Coast Guard and Interior Department (Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement).
{{cite news
| title= The Oil Off Cuba: Washington and Havana Dance at Arms Length Over Spill Prevention
| url= http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2105598,00.html?xid=gonewsedit
| archive-url= https://archive.today/20130205143010/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2105598,00.html?xid=gonewsedit
| url-status= dead
| archive-date= February 5, 2013
| newspaper=TIME
| first = Tim | last = Padgett
| date = 2012-01-27
| accessdate= 2012-07-02}}
According to the statement by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the vessel is generally compliant with existing international and U.S. standards.
{{cite news
| title= Rig has arrived; offshore oil drilling begins
| url= http://www.cubastandard.com/2012/01/19/it-has-arrived/
| newspaper= Cuba Standard
| date = 2012-01-19
| accessdate= 2012-07-02}}
Operation
Scarabeo 9 drilled its first well on the Jagüey prospect in the North Cuba Basin for Repsol in the beginning of 2012.
{{cite news
| newspaper = Upstream Online
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| title = Repsol in oil chase off Cuba
| first = Tom Darin | last = Liskey
| url= http://www.upstreamonline.com/hardcopy/news/article1231546.ece
| date = 2012-02-10
| accessdate=2012-07-09
| url-access = subscription
}}
Provider of immediate well intervention and other well-related subsea services was Helix Energy Solutions Group. After drilling for Repsol, Scarabeo 9 was contracted to drill for Petronas and Gazprom Neft on the Catoche field off the north coast of Pinar del Río Province, and for Petróleos de Venezuela on the Cabo de San Antonio prospect off the west coast of Cuba.
{{cite news
| title= Cuba Shifts Oil Exploration After Repsol's Unsuccessful Search
| url= http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-06/cuba-shifts-oil-exploration-after-repsol-s-unsuccessful-search
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120609162414/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-06/cuba-shifts-oil-exploration-after-repsol-s-unsuccessful-search
| url-status= dead
| archive-date= June 9, 2012
| work =Bloomberg Businessweek
| first = Eric | last = Sabo
| date = 2012-06-06
| accessdate= 2012-07-02}}
{{cite news
| newspaper = Upstream Online
| publisher = NHST Media Group
| title = PDVSA to turn bit off Cuba
| first = Tom Darin | last = Liskey
| url= http://www.upstreamonline.com/hardcopy/news/article1257638.ece
| date = 2012-07-05
| accessdate=2012-07-09
| url-access = subscription
}}
Repsol has also contracted the rig for drilling in Brazil.