OMV Hires Archer Rig for NZ Drilling

Services firm Archer has been awarded a contract by Austria’s OMV for drilling services using the modular drilling rig Archer Emerald, including associated services, materials, equipment and personnel, it said July 8.

The contract is for a firm five well contract with two one well options on OMV’s Maui A platform located in the Tasman Sea in New Zealand. The firm contract commitment is estimated at 11 months, with a further five months for the optional wells. Following a period of rig reactivation and pre-operation acceptance testing, the rig will be mobilised from Norway to New Zealand with drilling expected to start March 1, 2020, Archer said.

OMV New Zealand owns and operates the Maui gas field having acquired the 83.75% share from Shell Exploration NZ and the 6.25% share from Todd Energy at the end of 2018.

According to OMV, until 2008 Maui was the country’s largest gas field. It now meets a third of New Zealand’s gas needs.