Wanted: low mast 2000-hp rig for Oil India
After success hiring a 3000-hp rig, Oil India is also looking to hire another 2000-hp rig to drill at its Assam fields.
By the extended June 21 (2024) deadline, Oil India received EoIs from four drillers, among them Quippo Oil & Gas, Foresight Drilling and John Energy. On May 28 (2024), Oil India invited offers with an initial June 6 (2024) bid deadline, which was later extended twice.
Oil India is seeking a 2000-hp rig with a low-height mast. "They have a specific requirement," says a source.
"The rig should not be more than 45 metres in height from the ground level because they want to use the rig near an airport." Oil India needs the rig for planned drilling at the Dikom, Nadua and Chabua fields near the Nadua airport in Dibrugarh.
"Nadua airport is also an airforce base," our source adds. "Oil India needs a low mast rig to meet the Indian Air Force's height restriction guidelines within a particular radius."
Finding a low-height rig poses a significant challenge. "Any rig with 2000-hp capacity will have to be specially modified or constructed for such a tender," adds the source.
"Oil India has specified a very low height; usually on an onland rig, there is a derrick floor, after which there is a mast (structure used to support the crown block used to lift weights and the drill string or column of drill pipe)." Any serious bidder must be ready to construct a new mast or modify an old one, he stresses.
Oil India plans extensive exploration nationwide, aiming to drill over 200 wells and shoot 3500-sq km 3D within the next three years. More rigs will be needed as the company races to meet its Mission-4+ target to produce more than 4m t/y by March 31 (2025).
By January 20 (2024), the company's output touched 67,857 b/d (9500 t/d or 3.47m t/y) across India, mainly from the Duliajan-based field HQ, which holds its Most Producing Areas (MPA). Oil India's Assam and Arunachal Pradesh fields accounted for 66,885 b/d (9364 t/d).