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Yantai Raffles Shipyard has completed the mating of "Scarabeo 9".

On Thursday 17 December 2009, Yantai Raffles Shipyard in Yantai, China, completed the mating of the “Scarabeo 9” ultra deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig – the first unit to be built of the Frigstad D90™ design developed by Frigstad Engineering. Over 400 guests gathered around the dry dock at the yard to witness the mating of “Scarabeo 9” as the 20,000 ton crane TAISUN had gently lowered the massive deck box weighing an impressive 16,000 metric tonnes successfully onto the hull. The lift of the deck box is the heaviest commercial lift ever recorded.

The contract for construction of the first Frigstad D90™ unit was signed in 2006, after Frigstad Discoverer Invest Limited (FDIL), at that time an affiliate of Frigstad Offshore, had secured the financing to build “SS Frigstad Oslo”, the world’s most powerful ultra deepwater rig. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in April 2007, FDIL was later that year acquired by the large Italian offshore service company, Saipem S.p.A, and the rig was renamed “Scarabeo 9”. With Saipem being a reputable international drilling contractor, this acquisition represented a quality stamp of the Frigstad D90™ rig design.

Harald Frigstad, the designer behind the Frigstad D90™ rig design and the chairman of Frigstad Engineering, said after the ceremony: “The mating of “Scarabeo 9” marks a major milestone for our company and the D90 design. We are proud to see full dimensions of the rig, which we believe, will be the most capable and efficient semi-submersible rig ever constructed.”

The Frigstad D90™ defines a new class of ultra deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs, incorporating the latest technologies. The Frigstad D90™ story began in the early 1990’s when Harald Frigstad decided to realize his ambition to build the ultimate drilling rig, making use of the practical experience earned during his career offshore. The design process, involving extensive research, testing and implementation of innovative, efficiency-enhancing features, has resulted in a deepwater rig tailored to meet the requirements of the future.

The Frigstad D90™ boasts extreme capacities. It can operate in water depths of 12,000ft and drill down to a depth of 50,000ft. The unit is equipped with a Dual RamRig of 2x1,000 short ton lifting capacity – the most powerful ever built. It has vertical storage of 10,200 ft of drilling riser in 100ft stands and up to 50,000ft of drill pipe in 93ft stands, variable deck load capacity in excess of 8,100 metric tonnes, and 54,000sqft of free deck space for improved onboard logistics and material handling. Frigstad D90™ has high quality accommodation and living quarters for 200 persons, as well as modern offices and other facilities. It is designed to the stringent DNV class and standards.