Oil company Noble Energy, now owned by Chevron, has decided not to drill the previously planned offshore well in Colombia this year.
The company had signed a drilling contract in January with the Danish offshore drilling company Maersk Drilling for the use of the Maersk Valiant drillship in Colombia.
The $18.2 million, one-well contract was set to start in the third quarter of 2020, however, the drilling company said Friday that the drilling wouldn't happen in 2020, but possibly in 2021.
"Maersk Drilling has agreed with Noble Energy to amend the previously announced contract for the drilling of one well offshore Colombia in 2020. The well will not be drilled in 2020, and Maersk Drilling will receive compensation in the form of a deferral fee and also retains an exclusive option with Noble Energy to drill the well in 2021, should the operator decide to drill it," Maersk Drilling said.
The Maersk Valiant, delivered in 2013, is a 7th generation drillship with integrated Managed Pressure Drilling capability. The drillship is currently warm-stacked, off Aruba, available for employment.
Information on Noble Energy's website shows that the company is currently operating the Colombia-3 and Guajira Offshore-3 deep-water blocks with a 40 percent working interest. These exploration blocks are located in the Caribbean Sea, off Barranquilla and Santa Marta's shores.
Also, info on Noble Energy's website says that, in Colombia, "drilling is expected to take place at a depth close to 2,600 meters of water in 2021."