ABL, ONGC move 36 offshore drilling rigs in preparation for monsoon season

(WO) – Energy and marine consultancy ABL has successfully assisted India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) with moving 36 offshore drilling rigs to new locations in advance of the monsoon season.

ABL have assisted as tow master and marine warranty service (MWS) provider on the rig moves, which equals the record of 36 pre-monsoon rig moves from 2021. The moves were conducted using ABL’s specialist team of mariners supported by structural and geotechnical engineers, in close cooperation with ONGC’s in-house rig move cell.

Each of the 36 rigs were placed at their respective monsoon locations before the onset of the seasonal adverse weather conditions. The combined total distance travelled for all rigs was 3,680 nautical miles.

ABL acted for ONGC’s underwriters, and their appointed consultants, for the duration of the rig moving campaign. Under the agreement, ABL provided marine warranty services to ONGC’s fleet of jack-ups and mobile offshore production units in Indian waters.

“Moving 36 rigs in such a short time frame to new locations before the onset of the southwest monsoon is quite an achievement. Rig moves in the Indian offshore areas, even during normal weather conditions, pose huge challenges to both the tow master and MWS services that must manage environmental, tidal, bathymetric and soil challenges. However, the joint ABL and ONGC team made this a safe and well executed campaign,” says Captain Stephen Craig – Middle East and India Operations Manager and ABL’s Jack-up Rig Steering Group leader.

In total, ABL has assisted with more than 100 rig moves offshore India during the previous season from September 2022 to June 2023.