Cairn deploys two Weatherford rigs in May
Cairn India is deploying an additional two rigs to Rajasthan by May this year in line with plans to boost oil production.
On February 15, Cairn issued a LoA to Weatherford for 1000-hp rigs 806 and 807 that it will hire on 18-month contracts for its 3111-sq km Rajasthan onland block RJ-ON-90/1. “Cairn and Weatherford have yet to sign a formal contract,” reports a source.
“Both rigs are at a yard in Hamriyah (UAE).” Custom-made rigs 806 and 807, designed and built by National Oil Varco in the US in 2008, are designed to move quickly between drilling locations and drilled their first wells for Cairn in 2008.
Cairn is also trying to hire another six rigs, as it seeks to drill more than 100 exploration, appraisal and development wells to increase oil production from 175,000 b/d to 300,000 b/d. In mid-February, Cairn received bids from John Energy and Quippo Oil and Gas for rigs with capacities ranging from 1000-hp to 2000-hp.
“Cairn is evaluating the bids," adds a source. "Contracts will be awarded soon.
” Two 1000-hp drilling rigs, one each hired from John and Quippo, are already on site. Cairn announced on February 25 it had begun drilling an exploration well using Quippo's 1000-hp rig, after receiving oil ministry permission on February 14 - its first exploration well at the block in four years.
Cairn also needs workover rigs and should receive bids this week from Shiv Vani and John Energy to hire two 550-hp units.
