According to the company, the invitation to submit tenders for rig hire was distributed during the summer of 2008, and covered both semi-submersible mobile rigs and jack-up drilling rigs with the contract starting at the end of 2012.
When the deadline for submitting tenders expired on August 25, 2008, StatoilHydro had received tenders for a total of 28 rigs from 15 suppliers. StatoilHydro said that the rig rates had risen considerably in the last few years during a period of high oil prices.
Based on changed framework conditions, StatoilHydro has decided to ask for updated tenders from the suppliers to be submitted by December 1, 2008. The updated tenders included reduced rig rates.
Anders Opedal, head of procurements at StatoilHydro, said: “We focus on reducing costs and making priorities. Despite the reduction in the prices offered, there is still a gap between the tenders and the expectations we have concerning the rates. We have therefore decided to terminate the procurement process.”
StatoilHydro is an international energy company primarily focused on upstream oil and gas operations. Headquartered in Norway, the company claims to have more than 30 years of experience from the Norwegian continental shelf. It aims to deliver long-term growth and continue to develop technologies and manage projects that will meet the world’s energy and climate challenges.
