Blackford Dolphin set to sail
As expected, Dolphin Drilling has been successful in managing to persuade a Nigerian court to change its mind about an arrest order against its semisubmersible Blackford Dolphin.
On June 13 (2024), Dolphin announced: "Further to the announcement made by the company on May 21, (2024), on the subject of court proceedings by Technova Africa International Limited ('Technova'), the company confirms that the arrest order previously obtained by Technova has been lifted; the company confirms that the claims made by Technova continue to be contested." Dolphin argued in court that the proceedings by Technova are commercial and the rig does not need to be seized.
We are told the court agreed and decided to release the rig. After the orders were lifted, Dolphin was quick to hire vessels to tow the rig to India.
"Two vessels have been hired," says a source close to Dolphin. "Towing will begin by the end of June (2024; it will take about 80 days for the rig to complete its voyage from Nigeria to India."
Meanwhile, Dolphin has been updating Oil India during their meetings. "Every 10-15 days, Dolphin gives an update on what is happening to Oil India," he adds.
Blackford is scheduled to mobilise for Oil India in the second half of 2024 as part of a 14-month firm programme with an optional seven-month extension to drill off the Andamans, announced in March 2024. Oil India accepted the replacement rig Blackford against the originally offered Borgland Dolphin in a tender to hire a semisubmersible to drill at its OALP-2 blocks AN-OSHP-2018/1 and AN-OSHP-2018/2 in the Andaman Offshore and OALP-3 block KK-OSHP-2018/1 in the Kerala-Konkan offshore.