Bluewhale Offshore

Headquartered in Singapore (the undisputed oil hub of Southeast Asia), Bluewhale Offshore has been excelling in the management of offshore oil drilling services since it was first established in 2016. In an exclusive interview with Inside Oil & Gas magazine, President, Mr Xu Jingsheng provided insight into the company’s latest operations. Report written by Imogen Ward.

Bluewhale Offshore has wasted no time in getting stuck in with everything the oil and gas sector has to offer. Bolstered by its parent CIMC Group, the company has been working hard to make a name for itself.

“Over the past seven years, we have been successful in the delivery of safe and efficient projects to our customers,” President Mr Xu Jingsheng said. “The

quality of service that we provide has given our clients a great first-hand impression of what we can do.”

Bluewhale Offshore was initially set up in 2016 to manage the offshore drilling rigs owned by its parent company CIMC. The group is a first-class supplier of logistics and specialist energy equipment. Through the group’s various subsidiaries and divisions, it has presence in a diverse range of

BLUEWHALE OFFSHORE I PROFILE

industries, including modular construction, offshore and shipping.

Now, with a presence in more than 12 countries (offering a complete service of offshore drilling, plug and abandonment, field decommissioning, and other offshore services), Bluewhale Offshore’s books have been busier than ever.

Spouting out amazing projects

All of the work currently ongoing at Bluewhale Offshore is being completed on a long-term basis and has been very

successful so far. This is, in part, due to the reliability of its suppliers.

“Quality is very important to us, and we aspire to maintain that throughout every aspect of our service,” Mr Xu explained. “That also applies to our supply chain. We tend to assign contracts that last several years to make sure they are a reliable source for us and can provide supplies that are a reflection of that.”

Since it was first established, Bluewhale Offshore has completed five major projects, and has several exciting

ones currently underway. Within the company’s portfolio is work for several major companies, including CNOOC.

Last year, Bluewhale Offshore was awarded a contract from CNOOC China for the use of one of its semi-submersible rigs, Bluewhale I, in the South China Sea. Predicted to last until 2025, this project really makes the most of the rig’s capabilities and comes off the back of a previous collaboration.

“This is our second project with CNOOC, both of which have been dedicated to its deepwater development,” Mr Xu said. “The return custom of this company really highlights the success and dependability of our services.”

The first CNOOC project also utilised Bluewhale I for a total of two years, completing five exploration wells and a further

11 development wells. The semi-submersible was exposed to extreme weather conditions and incredibly deep-water levels. Despite these intense conditions, the project was still completed six months ahead of schedule and to high-quality standards.

A fin-tastic fleet

Bluewhale I has significant history in the South China Sea, having completed a majorly successful drilling operation back in 2017. Originally contracted to drill three wells in the deep-water off the coast of Shenhu, the main goal was to locate and drain a significant amount of gas hydrate. However, upon completion of the first well, more than 300,000m3 worth of the gas was collected, and it was decided that the project had surpassed require ments

and therefore could be finished after just 20% of the original expected timeframe.

“Our two deep-water semi-submersibles, Bluewhale I and Bluewhale II are both designed to operate in the North China Sea in harsher, colder conditions,” Mr Xu said. “Their maximum water depth is 12,000ft. We also currently have two mid-water semi-submersibles, called GM4D North Dragon and GM4D Beacon Atlantic, these two are approved to operate in a maximum water depth of 3,900ft.”

The company’s deep-water submersibles also benefit from a Frigstad D90 design, making them the perfect

choice to withstand rough elements out at sea.

The fleet also consists of Caspian Driller, a highly efficient jack-up rig. This rig was commissioned in 2014 and has provided continuous service for Dragon Oil since 2015.

Swimming in ISO certifications

Bluewhale Offshore’s dedication to delivering safe operations within the oil and gas industry is extremely commendable. With the backing of its parent, the company abides by several key commitments: ensuring the health and safety of

Bluewhale President, Mr Zu Jingsheng

its people, minimising any impact on the environment, and safeguarding the integrity of its business by meeting the highest ethical standards.

To meet these commitments the company has several in-house policies, relating to QHSE and operations.

“Bluewhale Offshore sees safety and the environment as top priorities, when it comes to crews, the companies we have contracts with and also the markets we operate in,” Mr Xu said. “At a core level, we are all competent with QHSE – from the top of the company to the frontline operations – everyone adheres to our QHSE policy.

“To further this, we have developed a very comprehensive Safety and Environment Management system which is integrated into our core management system. This has been in place now for seven years and is a very important element of our daily operations.”

The company has successfully retained ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001 certificates to maintain this ethos.

“All our employees receive training, as well as weekly meetings to explore our expectations for safety,” Mr Xu continued. “We want to give our employees the tools needed to work within a safe space, whilst also minimising their environmental impact. This also applies to the varying regulations of each country that we operate in, and we believe we demonstrate this excellently through our ongoing and completed operations.”

As the horizon comes into view, Bluewhale Offshore is excited about the possibilities that come with it. “We always remain optimistic when it comes to the future,” Mr Xu concluded. “We are looking forward to working with the major oil companies around the world, both new and returning. We intend to develop and expand our business worldwide, having spoken to companies based in Asia, North America and South Africa, and we are excited about the potential of what we can do within the industry.”