Odfjell DrillingG has returned the Deepsea Atlantic semi-submersible drilling rig to operations following an equipment handling incident in April that suspended drilling activities for several months.

The company confirmed that the rig has resumed operations after completing recovery and repair work. Odfjell Drilling said the return to service followed a coordinated effort involving its employees as well as support from clients, suppliers and industry partners throughout the recovery process.

The incident occurred on 18 April 2026 while the rig was running its blowout preventer (BOP). During the operation, the BOP and part of the riser string were unintentionally dropped to the seabed at a water depth of about 1,100 m. No personnel were injured, the rig remained secure and the company reported no indication of environmental damage. Operations were suspended while the damaged equipment was repaired and recovery work was carried out.

Following the incident, Odfjell Drilling launched multiple workstreams to restore the rig, including repairs to onboard equipment and parallel efforts to recover the BOP or replace it with the company’s spare BOP stack. An investigation into the cause of the incident has remained underway, with the company working alongside its client, equipment suppliers and relevant authorities.

In its latest operational update, Odfjell Drilling said Deepsea Atlantic has now resumed operations, marking the completion of the recovery programme initiated after the April incident. The company also acknowledged the contribution of employees, clients, suppliers and partners involved in returning the rig to service.