Scotland-headquartered offshore drilling contractor Odfjell Drilling has reported an equipment-handling incident on a 17-year-old semi-submersible, which halted rig activity pending repairs.

Odfjell Drilling explained that an incident occurred on April 18, 2026, during the running of the blowout preventer (BOP) on the Deepsea Atlantic rig, causing the BOP to drop to the seabed at an approximate depth of 1,100 meters.

“No personnel were injured during the incident and the rig is secure,” emphasized the company, which highlights that operations on the rig are suspended while the BOP is recovered and any necessary repair work is completed.

The rig owner confirms that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the incident on the 2009-built Deepsea Atlantic sixth-generation deepwater and harsh environment semi-submersible.

This unit is a dual-derrick, dynamic-positioned unit of enhanced GVA 7500 design. The semi-submersible is working for Equinor on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Odfjell Drilling scored more work for its owned and managed fleet of rigs last year, including a contract for another semi-submersible rig until the first quarter of 2029.

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