Norway’s Inocean Chosen to Design New Arctic Drillship for Statoil

An illustration of the Inocean CAT I design. Image courtesy Inocean

An independent naval architecture firm in Norway has been awarded a contract for the concept design and option for the Front End Engineering Design for a new arctic drillship for oil major Statoil.

Inocean, based in Oslo, beat out two other companies vying to design Statoil’s new-generation CAT I drillship.

Inocean’s concept, “IN ICE”, is an arctic-ready version of the company’s own “INO80” design. INO-80 is a compact dynamically positioned drillship with large free deck areas, designed for year-around operations in ultra deep waters. The design was introduced to the market for the first time at OTC 2011 in Houston. The CAT I will be tailored for the Statoil Arctic Step-up program, with an ice-strengthened hull suitable for operations in ice infested waters.

“The most important contract for Inocean ever,” says Jon Erik Borgen, CEO of Inocean. “Being developed for arctic operations, we are probably speaking of the most advanced and sophisticated unit evolved within drilling operations. Having this opportunity to develop the drillship of tomorrow is a big recognition of our design and engineering capabilities. We also appreciate that a Norwegian designer was chosen by Statoil in a strong competition with several major international players,” added Borgen.

INO 80 Concept Video: