Huarun Dadong Dockyard has secured a contract for the Sparta retrofit project, which will convert a semisubmersible drilling rig into a floating accommodation unit for 600 people.
The Shanghai-based yard signed the agreement with Hong Kong-based China Merchants Harbour Engineering. The rig is scheduled to arrive at Huarun Dadong Dockyard next week for a 14-month overhaul.
Built in 2010 by Jurong Shipyard in Singapore, the sixth-generation deepwater drilling rig is expected to complete the retrofit around the third quarter of 2027.
The unit is scheduled to deploy to Brazilian waters after completion. It will support offshore field development, maintenance and hookup work.
Financial terms and the identity of the Brazilian end-client were not disclosed. It is also unclear whether China Merchants Harbour Engineering will own the accommodation unit after the retrofit.
The conversion scope includes the installation of a new 500-berth accommodation module on the existing semisubmersible structure. The moonpool will also be sealed.
Ten new marine evacuation systems will be installed, while two cranes will be replaced. The work will also cover overhauls of the thrusters and the electrical and control systems.
A life-extension programme will add 25 years to the rig’s service life. The unit will be 42 years old when the extended operating period ends.
