Nabors looks at 50,000 foot rig, 19E to go back to work for Phillips

Steve Sutherlin

Nabors Alaska Drilling Inc. has completed a design study on a drilling rig with capabilities to drill 50,000 feet in a horizontal direction, Nabors Alaska President Jim Denney told PNA Oct. 2.

“We’re looking at building it; there’s no firm deal to build it yet — it’s just conceptual. We’ve done a ton of work on it and we think it has significant advantages over competitors' rigs.”

Repairs and modifications to Rig 19E are almost complete, Denney said. The drilling rig is under contract to do exploration drilling on the North Slope for Phillips Alaska Inc. this winter.

In addition to repairing the derrick, which was seriously damaged when it fell over March 26, just prior to spudding Phillips’ Rendezvous well in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, Denney said the company has made improvements to 19E’s pipe handling and mast raising systems. Both upgrades will make the rig safer and more efficient.