Rolls-Royce thrusters for ultra-deepwater drillships

January, 2008

Since the upsurge in ordering of drillships, Rolls-Royce has been successful in capturing nearly 90 per cent of contracts for thrusters for these high-specification vessels, which will use DP to keep position while drilling in ultra-deep waters.

Many of the owners of this new generation of drillships have chosen Rolls-Royce again to meet their propulsion requirements because they have found the UUC series azimuth thrusters on their existing vessels to be efficient and reliable.

The favoured thruster type is the UUC range in various sizes, and these are designed to be mounted and dismounted underwater without needing to drydock the vessel.

Samsung Heavy Industries is building many of these vessels. For example, the three-vessel Stena DrillMax series for Stena Drilling all have six of the UUC455 azimuth thrusters, each rated at 5,500kW. They work in conjunction with the vessel’s Class3 dynamic positioning system. The recently launched first vessel, Stena Drillmax, is to work in the Gulf of Mexico initially, but is also suited to harsh environments such as the Norwegian and Barents Seas. It can operate in up to 3,000 metres water depth.

Caption: Stena Drillmax, owned by Stena Drilling, built by Samsung Heavy Industries, and equipped with thruster system from Rolls-Royce.

Seadrill is building three drillships of a Samsung design with double derrick drill package. Rolls-Royce is providing the thruster outfit; six azimuth units each accepting 4,500kW and either operating in the DP3 dynamic positioning system or giving a transit speed of 11.5 knots. The first of these drillships, West Capella, is due to start operations in the first quarter of 2009.

Rolls-Royce thrusters are also on order for other vessels at Samsung, including drillships for Pride International, Cardiff Marine, Saipem and Tanker Pacific Management.

Transocean has ordered four drillships for operation in ultra-deep waters from Daewoo (DSME) in Korea. Due to start operations in 2009, Discoverer Clear Leader and its companions are enhanced versions of Transocean’s Enterprise drillships. The first three are scheduled for operation in the Gulf of Mexico and the fourth offshore Angola. All will have Rolls-Royce azimuth thrusters; six units each with a total power of 6 x 5,500kW. A UUC thruster-equipped drillship is also on order at DSME for Taiwan Maritime Transport.

Also in Korea, Hyundai is building a drillship for Global Sante Fe using Rolls-Royce thrusters for propulsion and dynamic positioning. This will be an upgraded version of the existing C R Luigs and Jack Ryan vessels.

Apart from equipping drillships, the UUC range of thrusters are in demand for propelling and positioning many of the semi-submersible drilling rigs that are under construction, in some cases together with Rolls-Royce mooring systems and Bergen engines.

For further information and high resolution images, please contact

Arnfinn Ingjerd, Vice President, Communications - Marine
Rolls-Royce plc
E-mail: arnfinn.ingjerd@rolls-royce.com
Phone: +47 70 01 42 17
Fax: +47 70 01 40 05