Development Driller III

Development Driller III, Q4000, Discoverer Enterprise on the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on 18 May 2010
History
NameDevelopment Driller III
OwnerTransocean
OperatorTransocean
Port of registry Vanuatu, Port Vila
Ordered12 January 2006
BuilderKeppel AmFELS, Singapore
Laid down25 November 2006
Acquired22 May 2009
Identification
StatusOperational
Notes[1]
General characteristics
Tonnage
Length117 m (384 ft)
Beam78 m (256 ft)
Draught19 m (62 ft)
Depth37 m (121 ft)
Deck clearance77.10 m (253.0 ft)
Propulsion8 × Caterpillar 3616 diesel engines
Capacity
  • Diesel oil: 4,546.7 m3 (160,570 cu ft)
  • Freshwater: 2,934.98 m3 (103,648 cu ft)
  • Lube oil: 71.78 m3 (2,535 cu ft)
  • Tank ballast: 21,891.81 m3 (773,102 cu ft)
  • Other: 341.84 m3 (12,072 cu ft)
Crew200
Notes[2]

Development Driller III is a fifth generation, Vanuatu-flagged dynamic positioning semi-submersible ultra-deepwater drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated under lease agreements by various petroleum exploration and production companies worldwide. The vessel is capable of drilling in water depths up to 7,500 feet (2,300 m) with drilling depth of 35,000 feet (11,000 m), upgradeable to 37,500 feet (11,400 m).[3]

On 2 May 2010, Development Driller III started drilling a relief well on Macondo Prospect to stop massive oil spill caused by the explosion and subsequent loss of the Deepwater Horizon.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Development Driller III (30254)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  2. ^ "ABS Record: Development Driller III". American Bureau of Shipping. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  3. ^ "Development Driller III". Transocean. Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  4. ^ "Second Macondo relief well under way". Upstream Online. NHST Media Group. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.