Songa Offshore, a Norway-based midwater drilling contractor, has received the Petroleum Safety Authority’s Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) for its Songa Endurance drilling rig.
Songa Endurance is a semi-submersible drilling rig and the second of four Cat D rigs that Songa is building for Statoil.
The rig has an eight-year firm contract with Statoil plus 4×3 year options. It arrived in Norway from South Korea on December 3, 2015, and it is on operating rate with Statoil since December 31, 2015.
It is the PSA’s assessment that petroleum activities may be carried out using the Songa Endurance rig within the regulatory framework, the safety authority stated on Friday.
The validity of the Acknowledgement of Compliance assumes that Songa Offshore ensures that the rig and relevant parts of the company’s organisation and management systems are maintained, to fulfil the terms and conditions set out in the PSA’s decision.
In connection with the AoC application for Songa Endurance, the PSA carried out audits within several selected disciplines. The AoC processing also includes an audit performed in connection with the AoC for Songa Equinox, which is the first of the Cat D rigs. Songa Equinox arrived in Norwegian waters on October 22, 2015 and gained its safety nod at the start of December 2015.
In total, 59 mobile facilities have now received an Acknowledgement of Compliance from the PSA.