Black Sea Oil and Gas - Successful rig intake

Client challenge

Black Sea Oil & Gas SA (BSOG), have a history of over 25 years in the Romanian offshore oil & gas sector. ModuSpec, a Vysus Group company, were initially engaged by BSOG in 2017 to support the rig selection process by conducting an inspection of the GSP Uranus that was being considered as a potential candidate rig for use on the Midia field development project.

The Midia Gas Development (MGD) project consists of onshore and offshore infrastructure and the two gas production licences at Ana and Doina gas fields in the XV Midia Shallow Concession in the Romanian Black Sea where it is the operator and holds a 70% interest. This project is the 1st new offshore gas development project in the Romanian Black Sea to be built in over 30 years and has the ability to produce 10% of Romania’s gas needs.

How we helped

We were awarded a contract in 2017 to provide rig intake & inspection services for the five well development drilling programme which commenced in November 2021. From 2017-2021, we worked in partnership with BSOG to execute a rig specific intake and inspection programme, taking the GSP Uranus from warm stack to operational status, including inspecting two drilling support vessels and providing assurance for a replacement Blow Out Preventer (BOP).

Our rig specific intake and inspection programme included:

Selection phase

• Initial inspection of the GSP Uranus – to support the decision to select the rig for potential contract during a the rig tender phase [2017]

Inspection phase

• Additional inspection of 2 x Drilling Support Vessels (DSVs) [2017]
• Multiple interim inspections onboard the GSP Uranus – to give BSOG continual assurance as to the progress of the jack up during reactivation [2020-21]

• Follow-up inspection onboard the GSP Uranus – to provide assurance as to the close out of recommendations since 2017 [2020]
• Inspection of replacement BOP onshore – to provide assurance during the assembly and testing phase before shipping to the GSP Uranus [2020]

Acceptance phase

• Rig acceptance – to provide BSOG with a final status of the GSP Uranus prior and readiness to undergo endurance testing [2021]
• Witnessing a 24hr endurance testing onboard the rig – to provide assurance to BSOG that the GSP Uranus drilling systems can meet a rig specific test programme [2021]

Powerful results

We identified 200+ recommendation on the GSP Uranus, which were all closed-out by GSP with our guidance and technical support. We provided an experienced team of Electrical, Mechanical and BOP Surveyors to carry out the scope of work.

Jonathan Keenan, Drilling Contracts Engineer commented “The ModuSpec teams continuity, competence and dedicated support has been paramount. The technical support/inspectors (electrical, mechanical and Well Control/BOP), commercial and administrative support has been collaborative and most impressive. Understanding and briefing their inspectors on the local working environment challenges especially on the Uranus rig was important. The collaborative support and sharing of knowledge, as opposed to a teacher style of instruction, helped to gain the trust and support of the GSP crew."

Allan Gibson, Development Drilling Manager, said: “ModuSpec identified 210 recommendations on the GSP Uranus, which were all closed-out, with guidance and technical support from ModuSpec. The technical quality of the surveyors’ work was exemplary, and the reporting kept me well informed, resulting in a jack-up which was ready to drill.”