Odfjell Drilling Suspends Rig Ops Following Equipment Incident
April 20, 2026
Offshore drilling contractor Odfjell Drilling has reported an equipment handling incident on its Deepsea Atlantic rig, which caused a blowout preventer (BOP) to drop to the seabed and prompted a suspension of operations.
The incident occurred on April 18 while running the BOP, which fell to a depth of about 1,100 meters, the company said.
No personnel were injured and the rig remains secure, but operations have been halted while the BOP is recovered and any necessary repairs are carried out.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident, Odfjell Drilling said.
The Deepsea Atlantic is a sixth-generation, dual-derrick, dynamically positioned semi-submersible rig capable of operating in water depths of up to 3,000 metres, with a maximum drilling capacity of 10,670 metres.
The rig is currently working for Equinor on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Odfjell Drilling agreed in January 2025 to extend the contract for the rig with Equinor to the end of the second quarter of 2027. Under a previously agreed contract signed in 2023, the rig is set to operate under existing terms until mid-third quarter of 2026.
