Island Drilling has started evaluating all legal recourse at its disposal to contest the termination of contract for its Island Innovator semi-sub rig, by Trident Energy and its partners in the Block G offshore Equatorial Guinea, deeming the claims on safety issues with the unit ‘not accurate’.
Earlier in February, Trident Energy and its partners Panoro, Kosmos Energy and GEPetrol, canceled the contract for the Island Innovator rig that was scheduled for a drilling campaign offshore Eqatorial Guinea, citing safety concerns with the unit as the reason for the termination.
According to the owner of the rig, Island Drilling, the statements being made by Trident and its partners are not an accurate description of the situation on Island Innovator.
The company argues that there have been no critical safety incidents, noting that the BOP had been checked and tested by the OEM representative on board the rig and declared safe and ready for operations.
Therefore, Island Drilling has started evaluating all legal recourse at its disposal to contest the termination.
“To be clear, we do not compromise with safety! Our onshore and offshore personnel work together as one team to ensure a safe workplace for all.
“We are committed to strictly adhering to IOGP life-saving rules in all aspects of our operations, prioritizing safety as a fundamental value within our organization
“Our risk management, built on the international risk standards, is well integrated into our planning and preparation processes
“Central to our safety culture is our safety observation program. Our employees consistently utilize this observation system across all facets of our operations, ensuring that potential hazards are identified and mitigated promptly
“To uphold our safety standards, work permits undergo an additional in field check to verify compliance with our procedures and regulatory requirements
“Offshore management conducts on a daily, weekly and monthly basis inspections to verify adherence to international regulations, with a focus on safety, environmental sustainability, and quality assurance,” said Roger Simmenes, CEO of Island Innovator.
The cancelation of the contract put the drilling campaign at the Block G, which started in January 2024, on pause. The termination also affects the Kosmos-operated Akeng Deep exploration well campaign in the Block S, that was supposed to be drilled using Island Innovator following the completion of three-well infill drilling campaign in Block G.