South Africa: Total plans challenging Brulpadda re-entry

Total plans to re-enter the Brulpadda well on Block 11B/12B off South Africa’s southern coast in December with Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Stavanger semi-submersible. Total vice-president Africa – exploration subsidiaries Hélène Dantoine told the Africa E&P Summit organised by Frontier Communications in London on 24 May the company had developed a special riser tension system for the well in order to resist the strong Agulhas current. Total was obliged to abandon the Brulpadda-1AX well on the block in September 2014 after the Eirik Raude rig encountered technical difficulties in the strong currents and challenging deep-water environment.