Irish exploration to reach record depths with one of the worlds largest drilling rigs.

The Rig will be exploring in some of the deepest waters ever drilled off the Irish coast. The rig, which is under contract to Shell E&P Ireland Limited, will be drilling on the West Dooish Prospect for approximately three months.

The drilling is taking place on the West Dooish Prospect 150kms North West of Donegal. The arrival of the Leiv Eiriksson marks a significant milestone in deep-sea exploration. In what is expected to be the busiest year for exploration in Irish waters since 1978, total investment is set to reach $300 million, according to the Irish Offshore Operators Association (IOOA).

The Leiv Eiriksson, one of the world’s largest semi submersible rigs will drill in depths in excess of 1,700 meters off North West Donegal. This is the equivalent of drilling in water depths three times the height of the Empire State Building in New York.

A semi-submersible rig such as the Leiv Eiriksson does not use traditional anchors to hold its position in the ocean but is equipped with a dynamic positioning system. It has been chosen by Shell because of its ability to deal with the extreme water depths and weather conditions of the North Atlantic. The rig remains stable in harsh weather owing to its superior motion characteristics and advanced dynamic positioning systems.

Stephen Castle, Well Engineering, Shell E and P Ireland Limited said, “Drilling in such water depths offshore Ireland represents a new frontier for Irish exploration.  It presents many challenges particularly because of harsh weather conditions that prevail in the North Atlantic. This exploration represents a new opportunity for Ireland as it seeks to play its part in the search for new energy sources.”

For nearly 30 years, Shell has been a world leader in deep-water development and production, achieving production at record depths and developing new sub sea production systems for oil and gas.