The French energy giant TotalEnergies has awarded a contract to MAERSK VOYAGER, a 7th generation drillship owned by Maersk Drilling to drill Ondjaba-1 exploration well at a world record depth offshore Angola.

According to FleeMon, “The work on the ultra-deepwater exploration well being built in Block 48 of Angola, commenced this month after the Angolan arm of TotalEnergies agreed to an estimated 54-day extension in contract till February 2022.

“The Ondjaba-1 will be drilled at a water depth of 11,903 feet (3,628 meters), registering a new world record against the Raya-1 well drilled at the depth of 11,155 feet (3,400 meters), currently holding the record.

“The Raya-1 well is situated off the coast of Uruguay and is also owned by TotalEnergies. It was drilled by MAERSK VOYAGER’s sister ship MAERSK VENTURER in 2016.

“Maersk Drilling was originally awarded the contract in October 2020 by TotalEnergies, which included the drilling of three wells offshore Angola by the second quarter of 2021. The drilling of Ondjaba-1 was also a part of the original contract but the terms of the agreement have been modified since, according to Maersk Drilling COO Morten Kelstrup.

Mr Kelstrup added, “With this contract option called, we’re now looking forward to proving that Maersk Drilling and the highly capable Voyager crew can once again break existing boundaries in close collaboration with TotalEnergies.”

Maersk Voyager, an ultra-deepwater high-spec drillship delivered in 2014, has been operating in Africa for the last six years. The rig had first collaborated with TotalEnergies in January 2020 but soon witnessed suspension of operations in wake of the covid-19 pandemic. The drillship restarted its service in August 2020.

After completion of the Ondjaba-1 project, the vessel is scheduled to travel to Namibia to drill the Venus well, leaving a one-well option left in the original contract.