Keppel FELS delivers second Super A Class jackup rig to Hercules

Ahead of schedule and on budget.

Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS) announced that it has delivered to Hercules Offshore, Inc. (Hercules Offshore), their second harsh environment KFELS Super A Class jackup rig, subsequently named Hercules Resilience.

It was officially delivered on 30 November 2013, 45 days ahead of schedule, on budget and with a perfect safety record. The first KFELS Super A Class rig for Hercules, Hercules Triumph, was delivered in April this year, 46 days ahead of schedule.

Designed for the harsh environmental conditions of the North Sea (UK Sector), the ultra high-specification jackup rig is also able to operate efficiently in virtually all parts of the world outside Norway and the Arctic. Its enhanced leg design incorporates Keppel’s proven and reliable high capacity rack and pinion jacking system which ensures that the rig is able to jack up securely in a variety of challenging environments, the company said.

Mr John T. Rynd, CEO of Hercules Offshore said, “These rigs are among the world’s most elite jackup drilling rigs. The KFELS Super A Class rig provides higher variable load, better drilling capabilities and cantilever load performance as well as a larger deck space and superior accommodation complement. The initial contract for our first rig, Hercules Triumph, which is successfully working for Cairn India in the Indian Ocean drilling a high temperature, high pressure well, demonstrates worldwide versatility of the Super A design."

Developed by Keppel FELS’ R&D arm, Offshore Technology Development (OTD), the KFELS Super A Class is an enhancement of the successful and proven KFELS A Class design. The Hercules rigs have been customised to meet the requirements of Hercules Offshore and are capable of operating in water depths of 400 feet and drilling depths of 35,000 feet.

Mr Wong Kok Seng, Managing Director (Offshore), Keppel Offshore & Marine and Managing Director, Keppel FELS said, “We are proud to be able to once again deliver another high quality rig to Hercules Offshore well ahead of time and to their highest satisfaction. This is the Keppel hallmark. Leveraging our expertise and experience, we work closely with our customers to ensure win-win results.

“Our proprietary KFELS Super A Class has been designed to operate efficiently in a wide variety of environments, especially cold climate areas with harsh conditions. This is the third such rig delivered and with another three on order, we believe the KFELS Super A Class design will become an industry benchmark for jackups of its class, following in the footsteps of our KFELS B Class design.”

The KFELS Super A Class is equipped with the state-of-the-art pinion overload detection, rack phase difference detection, and brake failure and overload protection devices. In addition to having strong drilling capabilities and cantilever load performance, the KFELS Super A Class has a two million pound hook load drilling system and includes a spacious deck and amenities to accommodate 150 men.

Keppel FELS has also delivered a KFELS Super A Class jackup rig to Ensco and is currently building another three more for them.