OFFSHORE FRONTIERS A Transocean Sedco Forex … Magazine/Frontiers_Spring... · A Transocean Sedco Forex Publication Spring 2000. ... improvement in deepwater drilling performance,you

On Top of the Technology Tide

OFFSHOREFRONTIERS

S p r i n g 2 0 0 0A T r a n s o c e a n S e d c o F o r e x P u b l i c a t i o n

Never has there been a more exciting time to work for Transocean Sedco Forex.

Employees’ creative spirit and sense of teamwork are evident every day

in the outstanding work performed across our global offshore drilling fleet. This

spirit comes to life in the first edition of Offshore Frontiers, which features some

of the company’s latest technological advancements that occurred during the

first quarter of 2000. The newbuild Sedco Express-class semisubmersibles and

Enterprise-class drillships, as well as the upgraded Transocean Marianas and

the Sedco 600 series of rigs have made major strides toward setting new industry

standards for deepwater drilling.

Also during the first quarter, employees responded by e-mail with feedback

about our working core values and mission of being the premier offshore driller,

and those responses were being evaluated at press time of this publication. In

another e-mail request, employees enthusiastically helped name the company’s

publications in a global contest, and we congratulate the six winners and thank

everyone who entered.

All these developments indicate that our spirit of teamwork and our

business focus are stronger than ever. These developments could not come at a

better time. We believe that our industry is beginning to experience a balance of

supply and demand of crude oil that has been absent since late 1997. This trend

should drive ongoing growth in demand for offshore drilling rigs. Already since

the start of the year, several units that had been idle have returned to work in

the North Sea, Southeast Asia, West Africa and U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

In short, we have the people, the assets, the technologies, the values, the

mission and the environment in which to succeed. For those reasons and many

others, we think you’ll agree: there has never been a more exciting time to

work for Transocean Sedco Forex.

Victor E. Grijalva, Chairman (right), J. Michael Talbert, President, CEO

Welcome

FEATURESTransocean Sedco Forex is in deepwater. But withtechnological advances we have pioneered, we’renot in over our heads. Our customers now havepowerful new tools for exploring and drilling in deepwater frontiers. This inaugural OffshoreFrontiers edition introduces our headline-making rigs.

New Semisubmersible ClassSedco Express, along with sister rigs Cajun Expressand Sedco Energy, are built to drill faster and moreefficiently.

Deepwater Pipe-Handling TrainingTransocean Sedco Forex is setting the standard forsimulator training of crews on the latest generationsof offshore drilling units.

Dual-Activity System Discoverer Enterprise, Discoverer Spirit andDiscoverer Deep Seas are designed to reduce typicaldeepwater development project costs by up to 40%.

Record Pace, Record DepthsSedco 600 rig series is setting new standards forquickly drilling wells. Meanwhile, TransoceanMarianas keeps going deeper and deeper to find those world records.

DEPARTMENTS

Legacy of LeadershipDiscoverer Seven Seas and Discoverer 534celebrate a quarter century of service.

People FIRSTWhat’s in a Name? Prizes! Offshore Frontiers salutesthe winners of the “Name the Publications Contest.”

Connecting with CustomersOur customers tell us how we’re doing.

Corporate ReportUpcoming stockholder meeting; annual reportmailed, measuring our success on Wall Street.

The Big 6Construction updates on our advanced drilling rigs.

Rig LocatorWorld map and complete rig listing.

On the Cover: The Sedco Express near Brest, France,

is leading the way in redefining semisubmersible rigs.

CONTENTSSpring 2000 Volume 1. Number 1

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Inaugural Edition

Offshore Frontiers will bepublished quarterly for our

employees,retirees, customers and other key audiences.

Also published quarterly foremployees will be On Location,

designed to keep up with offshorepersonnel around the world.

Submit ideas, comments and articles for the next issues of

Offshore Frontiers and On Location BY JUNE 15, 2000 to:

Guy CantwellManager of Corporate

CommunicationsRoom 1108

4 Greenway PlazaHouston, Texas USA 77046

Or

[email protected]

Executive Editor & Writer:Guy Cantwell, Manager,

Corporate Communications

Contributing Writer:Theresa Seegers,

Torma Communications

Design:Ellen Custer,

2d - a design collaborative

Cover Photo:Ken Childress

Inside photography:Guy Cantwell Ken Childress

Mieko MahiBob Redding

Bill Taufic King Chou Wong

Printing: AC Graphics

Visit us at our Web site:www.deepwater.com

Photo Contest Opens!See inside back-coverfor details, rules and

entry form.

Sedco Express:

2 Offshore Frontiers Spring 2000

Industry’s first Tri-Act derrick • Capable of operating in 8,500 feet of water • Targeted efA

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At first glance from the arriving crew boat,the well-lit rig miles away on the frothybay could be any semisubmersible arriving

or departing from the DCN shipyard near Brest,France.

But from just a mile out and minutesbefore dawn in February, the gleaming SedcoExpress lights make one thing clear: This is noordinary-looking offshore drilling unit. And thework that the rig and her two sister units areabout to carry out will write an extraordinarychapter in the history of deepwater drilling.

From innovative pontoons that housemain engines, winches and other equipment to the top of their distinctive 190-foot Tri-Act derricks, the Sedco Express, Cajun Express andSedco Energy are built to drill faster and moreefficiently. Customers now have a powerful newtool to explore for oil and natural gas reserves inthe deepwater frontier.

The Sedco Express stands tall on her pon-toons on the bay, with old World War II GermanU-boat bunkers silent on one nearby shore and amodern French nuclear submarine base busy onthe other.As the crew boat arrives, contractorsand employees can be seen putting the finishingtouches on advanced equipment on deck.

Unlike most semisubmersible rigs, theSedco Express derrick stands on the aft end of the rig, instead of in the middle of the deck.Whatmakes the derrick area even more exceptional isthat it is a hub for time- and cost-saving parallelwork processes. Instead of sequential drilling steps taken on a conventional rig, the patent-pending Tri-Act derrick can conduct triple activity by drilling, making up the next set oftubulars at one station and laying down tubularsat a second station.

RedefiningSemisubmersible Rigs

fficiency gain of 25% • Cajun Express and Sedco Energy on contract in the third quarter 2000 • In

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Triple, Double-Time“Our goal is to use parallel work processes and other efficien-cies to reduce total well-construction time by 25% or more,”says Sedco Express Rig Superintendent Mike Prati.“One of the keys to our success will be this rig’s ability to run triple sections of drill pipe for a section total of 135 feet, comparedwith the industry standard of 90 feet.We will also run triplesections of 41-foot casing and double sections of 65-foot riser,while conventional rigs still run single sections.”

Standing a Semi on Its SideTo support these scaled-up operations, the Tri-Act derrick areahas the setback capacity of 2,550 metric tons — equal to theentire deckload of a conventional semisubmersible.“Imaginetaking all the tubulars on the Sedco 712 and standing themback in the derrick area on one end of the rig. That’s whatyou have with the Sedco Express-class rigs, plus 30,000 square feet of unobstructed deck space,”Prati says.

Today, Iain Hope, manager of the Sedco Energy, whichis a few miles away at the DCN shipyard for final outfitting, isvisiting the Sedco Express, which was built at the same yard.These rigs and the Cajun Express, constructed at a Singaporeshipyard, are “very exciting and challenging technicalachievements,”Hope says.“In order to create a step-changeimprovement in deepwater drilling performance, you need the same type of advanced equipment and parallel workprocesses that the Sedco Express rigs have in common withthe Enterprise-class drillships.”

For example, crewmembers use state-of-the-art elec-tronic controls to operate the deck riser gantry crane, twodeck pipe-handling machines, twin stations for casing and ironroughnecks and the drawworks. Advanced software — likethe kind General Motors uses with precision to insert screwsinto vehicles moving down assembly lines — supports tubular-handling equipment on the Sedco Express rigs.

This drilling-related software can “learn”certain stepsof the well-construction process, so that it can become moreautomated. For example, each time one of the pipe rackingsystems stands a tubular back into the setback area, the equip-ment “remembers”how far it traveled to deliver the pipe orcasing and “knows”how far to travel to place the next section.

Communication Supports TeamworkEffective communication between crewmembers is crucial on any rig, but even more so on the high-specification Sedco


Express units.“One of the rigs’ major advantages is the consol-idation of work stations, so that people can work more closelytogether,”Hope says.“Instead of having separate cabins formud logging, drilling and wireline logging, as you would on atypical semisubmersible, this rig has integrated them into awell-construction center, where drillers and assistant drillerswork alongside measurement-while-drilling and logging-while-drilling personnel, among others.”

The Sedco Express rigs’ fluid management system,which includes 7,500-psi mud pumps, are designed to loweroverall mud costs and increase penetration rates up to threetimes, depending on hole size.“In the pontoons, we can holdmore than 6,030 barrels of weighted mud in reserve,”Hopesays.“This capacity, in addition to that in the deck box storage,give us an impressive 11,700 barrels of total mud storage, plus6,175 barrels of brine and base oil storage.”

Yet another advantage is the fluid engineering center,which regroups the mud analysis lab, mud logging servicesand mud mixing and cementing equipment control consoles.Most other semisubmersibles have separate stations.Conventional rigs also lack a mud analysis lab. So, they mustsend fluid and mud samples to an onshore facility, a processthat can take days.“Like everything else, this arrangementallows a better integration of services and enhanced commu-nications,” says Marty Hebert III, Cajun Express Rig Manager.

From the World Cup to OffshoreWork on the Express-class rigs is made easier by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system similar to the one used at the1998 World Cup in Paris, France. With 65 cameras,15 monitorsand 96 channels, the system lets personnel see virtually everystep of a job on the rig.

“Anybody, anywhere on the rig can know what is happening through the CCTV, the integrated public announce-ment audio system, the ‘distributed control network’ and therig-area computer network, which is a Gigabit, Ethernetsystem,”explains Senior Project Engineer Don Coonrod.

Supporting the rig video network, as well as two other networks for controls and communications, are banks of computers, capable of conducting 100,000 control transactions each second.

Powerful PontoonsBeneath the deck, the pontoons are home to the main engines,mud storage, BOP multiplex control system, air compressorsand anchor winches. This layout provides another major

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improvement, compared with conventional semisubmersiblerigs.“By relocating equipment in the pontoons, the rig hasa better weight distribution than a standard semisubmersible,”Hope says.“The end result is better stability.”

Briskly walking down the “bowling alley,”a corridorthat runs through the middle of the rig below deck, Hopeknocks on piping on the wall.“Composite material,”heexplains.“Using lighter-weight composite materials for thefluids piping saved a lot of weight, and there is no corrosion,”he notes.

The pontoons are also home to four thruster pods,which have a rated capacity of seven megawatts each. Theyprovide the rig with full redundancy and the ClassificationSociety’s highest rating of DP Class 3 for a dynamically posi-tioned unit. The total power of the four thrusters wouldprovide enough electricity for a town of 120,000 people. Agreat advantage is that the motor located inside the thrusterpod eliminates the need for gearboxes and bearings, whichincreases overall power efficiency and lowers long-term maintenance costs. The thrusters can also be removed andinstalled at sea, unlike other rigs that normally move to portfor time-consuming maintenance thruster work.

Planning, Planning, PlanningUp on the 30,000-square-foot unobstructed deck area of theSedco Express, John Kozicz,Technical Manager, describes someof the planning that went into producing the Sedco Expressrigs.“First we were, and still are, supported by a senior manage-ment team that has a corporate strategy to be forward-lookingwith technology, and we have a very strong engineeringprogram,”Kozicz says.

“In addition, from early on,we involved the drill crews,other people across the company and our customers in theprocess of planning the Sedco Express rigs to make sure thatwe came up with a strong, robust design. Take the double-hulls for the pontoons and supporting columns, for example,”he adds.“They are designed to minimize any leaks and stabilitythreats from incoming water due to a collision.”

In the living quarters area, the use of an isolating shockabsorber lessens noise and vibration,making life offshore easierfor all the crewmembers. Also, software produced with helpfrom the Massachusetts Institute of Technology contributed tothe design of lighter weight riser, which is thinner in the mid-dle and thicker on each end. The design saves 10% to 15%in riser and buoyancy weight of an 8,000-foot riser string of5.5 million pounds.


“One of the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made”It’s not just the engineers and rig managers who are upbeatabout the Sedco Express-class rigs. The deepwater units havegenerated a great deal of excitement both among the crewsthat will be working on the rigs and the three major petroleumcompanies that have secured them under multi-year contracts.

“Choosing the Sedco Energy as one of our newbuildcandidates is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made atTexaco,” says Roger Jenkins, Area Drilling Team Leader forTexaco Deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico.“We are absolutelyconfident in the rig’s ability to perform and to allow well construction costs to be significantly lowered.”

He should know. Jenkins and his team put TransoceanSedco Forex engineers through a battery of scenarios abouthow the Sedco Energy would perform in challenging condi-tions.“Every question we’ve ever had about the function ofthe rig’s equipment has been answered,”he says.“We’ve neverbeen able to stump the engineers who designed this rig.”

Aiming for a Smooth LaunchNow, it is almost time to operate the next generation of semi-submersible rigs.

“Everyone who has contributed to the launch of theserigs deserves a great deal of credit,” says Don Ray, Senior VicePresident,Technical Services, at Transocean Sedco Forex.“Theindustry will be watching to see how we can take offshoredrilling to the next level with not one but three new, high-specification semisubmersible rigs. I believe we have the rightmix of people, equipment and training to make it happen.”

Texaco’s Jenkins will certainly be among those watch-ing during the third quarter, when the Sedco Energy is sched-uled to arrive for work offshore West Africa under a five-yearcontract, instead of the Gulf of Mexico, as originally planned.Also during the third quarter, the Sedco Express is expectedto arrive for Elf in West Africa, and the Cajun Express is slatedto begin service in the Gulf of Mexico for Marathon.

“Opportunities to take offshore drilling to a new levelonly arise once every 10 years or so,” Jenkins says.“We all havea role to play to ensure a smooth transition. As the operator,weare already advancing our planning for logistics and drillingto help the rig move smoothly from well to well.” Likewise,Transocean Sedco Forex is working to once again prove itscommitment to delivering first-class technology and cost-effi-cient drilling services for customers.

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Setting the Standard

for DeepwaterPipe-Handling Training


Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains ofsouthwestern France is one of the offshore drillingindustry’s most advanced simulators for training crews

in pipe-handling operations during deepwater drilling.The company’s training center at Pau, France, prepares the

entire supervisory drill crews to work in the well-constructioncenter of the Express-class high-specification semisubmersiblerigs. Crews train at actual drilling consoles, controls and instru-mentation, where they emulate pipe-handling operations seen in real time on 18-foot-tall projectors using three-dimensionalgraphics. “The concept is the same as pilots and co-pilots thattrain to safely fly the new Boeing 777 planes,” says DeepakMunganahalli, Director of Training for Transocean Sedco Forex.“They use training simulators, and we are playing a similar,key role in making people more confident and competent inoperating the pipe-handling equipment.” The $1.5 million simulator system has consoles for the driller, assistant drillerand the derrick operator. In addition, the simulator is used fortraining in Deepwater Well Control. Already more than 75 people have been trained on the simulator for Express-classpipe-handling operations. By the first week of July, an upgradeof the simulator will allow training of drilling crews of theEnterprise-class ultra-deepwater drillships. “We are learningthat communications during pipe-handling operations is veryimportant to the launch of this next generation of deepwatersemisubmersibles and drillships,” Munganahalli says. “Peopleare really pulling together in teams to master some fairlycomplex technology that is going to help usher in an entirelynew era of efficiency for our customers.”

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The Discoverer Enterpr


Industry’s first dual-activity rig • Capable of drilling in up to 10,000 feet of water • TaA

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Just before midnight on acalm January night on thedeepwater Gulf of Mexico,

Dan Reudelhuber’s eyes light up when asked to describe the ultra-deepwater drillshipDiscoverer Enterprise.

“I have been working on this project for three years,” says Reudelhuber, Senior ProjectEngineer, “and every time I walk onto this rig, I am alwaysimpressed with something thatI have never seen before.”

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argeted efficiency gains of up to 40% • Changing the way the world explores for energy •Th

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Dual Activity in Action

Operators like BP Amoco want to use the most advancedultra-deepwaterdrilling rigs tomore quickly and efficiently tap potentiallylarge reserves.


Today, some 700 feet from Reudelhuber’soffice, a work boat that by itself would normally looklarge now appears to be just the size of a bathtubtoy, sitting next to the giant drillship, where it is discharging its cargo of drill pipe.

Cranes load the pipe onto conveyors thatdeliver it to the tubular stand areas at mid-ship.Here, a 264-foot derrickhouses the Enterprise-class drillship’s corecompetitive advantageover other ultra-deepwaterdrillships — the dualactivity system. For thefirst time in the offshoredrilling industry’s history,two drilling systems,supported by dual pipe-racking systems and iron roughnecks, work at different tasks simulta-neously. Designed toreduce the cost of a typical deepwater devel-opment project by up to 40%, the company’s proprietary dual-activitysystem is best describedas twin, vertical drill pipe “factories.”

Off to an Impressive StartHaving completed a plug-and-abandonment

job in late 1999 in 35% less time than a conventionalrig, the Discoverer Enterprise has impressed the 150to 170 people who work on the drillship. “The teamthat invented this system — including Bob Scott andBob Herrmann — really knew what they were doing,”Reudelhuber says.

Inside the nearby driller’s cabin, just acrossfrom the 80-foot-by-80-foot drill floor, the driller andtwo assistant drillers coordinate the making up ofdrill pipe in 135-foot-long stands, compared with theindustry standard of 93-feet. These crewmembersoperate near-silent joystick controls. Four-quadrant-geared drawworks with regenerative braking systemssteadily move pipe into position to be connected andpushed into the well. Gusts sound as giant spaghetti-like hydraulic lines help drive automated pipe-racking

systems between tubular setback areas and two,independent rig rotary tables.

Unseen amid the rumbly-clank of connectionsbeing made and the churning drawworks are six,7,000-horsepower dynamic positioning thrustersbeneath the drillship that keep the vessel in position.Even during a once-in-10-years Gulf of Mexico storm

with 60-knot winds, thedynamic positioning system is designed tokeep the DiscovererEnterprise safely on location, connected tothe well at the sea floormore than 6,700 feetbelow. On a calm day,only barely noticeabletremors can be felt onthe helideck.

Making waves acrossthe industry, however,are parallel pipe-makingand casing operationsoff the critical path ofthe drill floor. Whilemany competitors areadding automated pipe-handling machines on

bigger versions of existing rigs, their newbuild rigs arebased on the same basic offshore drilling process thathas not changed for more than four decades.“They still only have one drilling system, one apparatus forrunning the pipe,” says Don Ray, Senior Vice Presidentof Technical Services. “However, the Enterprise-classunits have two drilling work stations. That is quite an advantage.”

Customer-pleasing PerformanceDual activity is the reason that BP Amoco chose tomake the Discoverer Enterprise’s first well-constructionassignment an appraisal well for the Crazy Horsefield, which is estimated to hold one billion barrelsof crude oil reserves. Operators like BP Amoco wantto use the most advanced ultra-deepwater drilling rigsto more quickly and efficiently tap potentially largereserves, which produce oil more quickly than otherfields, providing a faster return on their investment.

Unocal’s Spirit Energy 76 division and Chevron,

“The team that invented this system...really knew what they weredoing,” says Dan Reudelhuber, Senior Project Engineer.

“The Enterprise-class units have two drillingwork stations. That is quite an advantage.”

Don Ray, Senior Vice President, Technical Services

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“We are getting ready to go to the next level by learning how to use the Enterprise units to their full potential and then findingmore efficient ways (to drill) than we ever imagined.”

Don Ray, Senior Vice President, Technical Services


which have contracted for the Discoverer Spirit and Discoverer DeepSeas, respectively, also look forward to utilizing these more cost-effec-tive well construction tools in the Gulf of Mexico. The DiscovererSpirit is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter, and theDiscoverer Deep Seas is due on location during the fourth quarter.

Despite three weeks of downtime inlate January and early February due to a soft-ware problem and BOP repair, drilling onthe Discoverer Enterprise is in full swing.“We expected some initial challenges early inthe use of the rig, and we are learning fromthem,”Ray said.“Now, we are getting ready togo to the next level by learning how to usethe Enterprise units to their full potential andthen finding more efficient ways than weever imagined.”

For example, an operator who needsa pipe-laying barge may have to schedule theentire well-construction process around theavailability of that barge. However, the aftrotary of the Enterprise-class rigs can beused to back-lay and j-lay pipeline. So, opera-tors can save even more time and expense by eliminating the need for a pipe-layingbarge, whose dayrate could exceed that ofthe drillship.

A Whole New Drilling WorldThe additional flexibility of the Enterprise-class rigs increases the need for effective planning and teamwork all along the well-construction services chain that includes suppliers and customers.Because the Enterprise-class rigs can construct deepwater wells morequickly than conventional rigs, operators will likely be challenged to accelerate their drilling schedules.

“The whole timetable for offshore drilling is going to change,”Ray predicts. “There is plenty of room to look at everything in anew way. If you drill one well 30% earlier, that means that you aregoing to need to start the second well that much faster to maintainyour efficiency gain. The more quickly you drill, the faster you willneed to arrange to drill the next wells.”

Everyone aboard the Discoverer Enterprise is dedicated toand excited about ensuring their part of the accelerated drillingprocess. “There’s no doubt that dual activity can help set all kinds of records,” Reudelhuber says.

The aft rotary of the Enterprise-classrigs can be used to back-lay and j-laypipeline. So, operators can save even more time and expense.

Press BoxMedia Mentions

Discoverer Enterprise:Changing the Way the WorldExplores for Energy“This revolutionary drillship hasbeen engineered from the top of itsderrick to its thrusters to optimizeultra-deepwater well construction

and field development performance.”

Cover story of Upstream Special News SectionDecember 1999Pipeline Magazine

3-D Software Reduces DesignTime for Offshore DrillingSystemNot only are the Enterprise-class drill-ships innovative, the process it took todesign it was too.

“By using 3-D plant modelingsoftware, Power Management Inc. com-pleted the design and documentationof the world’s deepest offshore drillingsystem in an estimated 17,000 hoursless than if the project had been donewith 2-D CAD. In addition to savingtime, creating a 3-D model resulted inbetter overall design. ”

By Ivan Curiel, president, PowerManagement Inc., New OrleansDecember 1999World Oil magazine

Completion Times Improve forDrillship Series“Construction of the Discoverer Spirit,which is the second in the series, took19 months, and it has just arrived inthe Gulf of Mexico. No problems havebeen reported. Unocal praised theperformance achieved with the vessel.We managed to reduce our own fab-rication time for the Spirit by fivemonths, compared with the Enterprise.That represents a 25% improvement.”

Juan Carlos Perez, Executive VP,Commercial & MarketingAstilleros Espanoles, parent company of the Astano shipyardwhere the drillships were built January 2000 Offshore magazine

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10 BIG RIG! April 2000

The best way to experience Louisiana culture onboard the Discoverer Enterprise comes at dinnertime. DeltaCatering takes lots of seafood, crawfish, okra, red

beans, rice and spices and whips up Cajun specialties such asgumbo, jambalaya and etouffee. “And catfish. We always havecatfish,” says Captain Joe Donnelly, a native of Boston, Mass.,who hadn’t tasted gumbo until his career brought him to the Gulfof Mexico.

Crews work two or three weeks onboard. When it’s timefor two or three weeks off, helicopters set passengers down inVenice, La. From there, crewmembers hop in their vehicles anddrive home to all parts of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi andAlabama. Donnelly reports that about half the TransoceanSedco Forex employees assigned to the drillship call these GulfCoast states home. Others travel 1 1⁄2 hours to the New OrleansAirport to fly all over the country.

Granted, there’s more to Louisiana life than food, but it seems the most appropriate place to start when describing the state that serves as the onshore launching pad for the crew members of the Discoverer Enterprise and other TransoceanSedco Forex Gulf of Mexico rigs.

Louisiana Way ofLife Talk about good.

Once onshore, where are the best places to get your fill of Cajun cooking? Just about any place in New Orleans, especially in the FrenchQuarter. Antoine’s, for example, is the state’s oldest, continuously

operating restaurant since 1840.A random sample of DiscovererEnterprise crew members revealedthese picks. For fine dining, it’s K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans where Chef Paul

Prudhomme has been creating culinary works of art since 1979.

The restaurant is located in an 1834 refurbishedbuilding, and Chef Paul stands by his rule of no

freezers in the kitchen. Only fresh ingredients, whichmeans the menu changes daily. Try a blackened seafoodor wild game dish. And save room for the sweet potatopecan pie.

For a more laid back atmosphere, thecrew recommends Ralph and Kacoo’s.The restaurant

began serving up seafood in 1969 and now has sevenlocations, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, BossierCity and Metaire. Featured specialties are crawfish,

Dining onboard with

Alvin Lee III,Chief Steward,

DiscovererEnterprise.

Mardi Grasmania!

Balcony dining in

the FrenchQuarter.


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gumbo, alligator, crab, shrimp and oysters.Also, Joe’sOriginal Crab Shack on Lake Ponchatrain seems to be afavorite, along with the Port of Call, located off the beatentourist path of the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Let the good times roll.

Sight of partying pretty much 365 days a year, the FrenchQuarter is probably most famous for the annual pre-Lenten carnival, Mardi Gras.The first Mardi Gras paradewas held in New Orleans in 1838.The 2000 celebrationwas said to have packed about two million visitorsinto the French Quarter during the two-week mega-party. How can they tell? By a scientific calculation of the tonnage of garbage collected.

Jazz it up!

What is a party without great music? The name “jazz”was given to music with a New Orleans origin in 1915.Along with good food on every corner within thequarter, you’ll find equally good music every day. Oneof the best times to let the music move you is duringNew Orleans’ annual Jazz and Heritage Festival in earlyMay. This year will mark the 31st such celebration.Louisiana’s music heritage also includes rhythm andblues, southern rock, rockabilly and zydeco. Theaccordion and washboard sounds of zydeco are guaranteed to get your feet a-moving.

They’re biting today!

If you prefer to get your heart racing by landing the big one, then this here’s the place for fishing.Louisiana is called the Sportsman’s Paradise. You’renever far away from water — be it lakes, bayous,swamps, rivers like the mighty Mississippi, or the Gulf.

Onboard the Discoverer Enterprise, you’ll findfrustrated fishermen who can’t dangle lines from thedrillship because they may interfere with the thrustersthat help the vessel maintain position in deepwater.Crewmembers have to wait until they get onshorewhere Donnelly reports “they’d fish in a puddle ofrain” if given the chance. But the crew’s top vote forbest place to fish in Louisiana is the Toledo BendReservoir on the state’s northwest border with Texas.It’s one of the largest manmade reservoirs in the countryand hosts the Oilman’s Bass Classic Invitational eachSeptember.

Talking big business.

Enjoying life is only one of the state’s major industries.Shipping,petrochemical plants, and oil and gas refineriestop the list of the state’s global contributions. Louisianahas one of the busiest port systems in the world. Muchof the nation’s petroleum and grain is shipped out ofthe port in New Orleans. The state also ranks high in

the production of cotton, minerals, forest productsand furs. And of course we always come back to food.Louisiana provides much of the nation’s rice, sweetpotatoes, soybeans and pecans. Fishing as a business isalso a major industry. A quarter of all the fish landedin the United States come from Louisiana’s coastalwaters. Only Alaska’s fishery is larger.

One smart purchase.

Louisiana is steeped in history. Spanish explorerAlvarez de Pineda “discovered” the mouth of theMississippi in 1519. The area’s governmental unitswere originally church units set up by the Spanish inthe late 1600s. That’s why the state’s county areas arestill referred to as parishes. Explorer La Salle was theone who named the region “Land of Louis” in honorof King Louis XIV of France. While other states’ civillaw is based on English common law, Louisiana’s wasinfluenced by Spanish law and remains based onFrance’s Napoleanic Code.

The Cajun culture was born with the arrival ofAcadian families from Nova Scotia in the late 1700s.The United States made the $15 million LouisianaPurchase in 1803, and Louisiana became the 18th statein 1812. The state’s role in the American Civil War andthe many colorful politicians that have come and gonesince then have shaped an interesting history. BatonRouge, the state’s capitol, is a gold mine for history buffs.

Beaucoup attractions.

For a look into the past, tour a swamp in a pirogue(Cajun canoe), stroll through a New Orleans cemeteryto look at incredible stone and wrought iron works,or visit a plantation home for a glimpse at the OldSouth. To celebrate the present, visit one of the newattractions in New Orleans.

The Discoverer Enterprise travel guides recommend a nice way to spend the day. Visit theAquarium of the Americas to see a 10-foot sand tigershark, among other interesting sea creatures.Then hop a paddle boat and head to the Audubon Zoo. Beforeyou check out the rare white alligator, enjoy a picniclunch of muffalettas under centuries-old oak trees inAudubon Park.

If it’s springtime, enjoy the azaleas in bloom.If it’s summertime, find the nearest shade and watchout for those hurricanes — the storm and the drink.If it’s fall, get ready for some football — college isbest.And in winter, warm your senses with a pot ofgumbo and all that jazz.

Now that’s living,

Louisiana style.

In the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the TransoceanMarianas has extended its string of worldrecords for deepwater drilling by a

moored semisubmersible. After settingthree world deepwater mooring records last year, the upgraded high-specificationsemisubmersible set another milestone inJanuary 2000 by drilling in 7,529 feet ofwater using a mooring system with suction-anchor technology.

All the records were achieved forShell, which has praised the TransoceanMarianas team for using parallel workprocesses, teamwork and technology to drill wells faster as part of the operator’sDrilling the Limit program.

The Transocean Marianas, whichwas converted in 1998 from a fire-fightingand crane-support vessel, has set othernotable achievements. The rig holds theGulf of Mexico record for a semisubmersibledrilling a well from spud to total depth at arate of 1.7 days per 1,000 feet.

“Everyone likes to set records,but we’re not stopping with what we’veachieved so far,” says Rig Manager BillWainwright. “There’s always a way toimprove the drilling process, and we’relooking forward to helping Shell to continue to do just that.”

Sedco 600 SeriesFirst with “SurfaceStack” Drilling inIndonesia

The Sedco 601 and Sedco 602 have advanced far beyond their originaloperating depth of 1,500 feet and now can work in more than 6,000feet with a new way of offshore drilling called “surface stack”drilling.

Asia Region Manager Mike Unsworth explains that “surface stack”drillingis being pioneered by Unocal and Transocean Sedco Forex. “We believewe are the first drilling contractor to reduce the time and cost of runninga BOP and riser through several adaptations of existing technology, includ-ing the placement of the BOP in the moon pool, instead of at the oceanfloor,”he says.

Sedco 601 and Sedco 602 crews have worked with Unocal toreduce drilling-related time and costs. The rigs have also set a blisteringpace, drilling 110 wells since 1998 while working offshore Indonesia.The Sedco 601 drilled 40 wells in water depths between 1,700 feet and6,300 feet during the last 18 months, following the success of the Sedco602 in drilling in water depths of up to 4,000 feet.

“These achievements are a big credit to the rig crews, whoseinnovation and work have been carried out without a single lost-timeinjury,” says Unsworth.

TransoceanMarianasKeeps Making Deepwater Records


Shell on Trail of Well Perfection“The Marianas is one of our bestteams, and we thought they weredoing well to begin with, but they’vebeen able to take the number of days(to drill a well) per 1,000 feet fromabout four or five to around one-and-a-half to two.”

Dave Lawrence, Shell E&P Vice PresidentAs quoted in Upstream, International Oil & Gas Newspaper, February 25, 2000

Atypical Planning ProcessCuts Drilling Costs for Shell“We have drilled four wells since (theinitial Boris Prospect) with the sameTransocean Marianas crack crew andsustained the same degree of perfec-tion.They have cut their previous aver-age drilling time of six days per 1,000feet below the mud line to two days.That’s a huge performance improve-

ment.And in deepwater, time is money.”Don Jacobsen, Drilling Manager Shell E&P Co.Week of April 3, 2000 Oil & Gas Journal


Legacy of LeadershipDiscoverer 534 and Discoverer Seven Seas Extend Deepwater Legacy

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The Discoverer 534 and the Discoverer Seven Seas achieve yet another milestone in their long legacyof deepwater drillship firsts this year with approximately 25 years of world-class performance.

The Discoverer 534 reaches its 25th anniversary in 2000 and the Discoverer Seven Seas, atone year younger, is right behind. Combined, these dynamically positioned drillships have operatedin virtually every deepwater market in the world. Long before deepwater drilling became the brightspot of the offshore drilling industry, the rigs were pioneering this last offshore frontier for a variety ofoperators. The drillships also have set numerous deepwater records and have worked the great majorityof the time, since being launched.

Congratulations to both drillships and their crews, past and present, for a long history of greatperformance. And, good luck with setting more world records while continuing to serve customers withworld-class deepwater drilling expertise.

The Discoverer Seven Seas, built in 1976, also byMitsui, began setting world water-depth records almostfrom the start. The first of the rig’s seven records came in1977, when it worked in 4,346 feet of water in the Congo.The next year, in Spain, the rig set another world record at4,441 feet of water, and in 1979, it achieved a world record at 4,876 feet in Newfoundland. Another three consecutiveyears of water-depth records came in 1982 at 5,624 feet in France, as well as 6,448 feet and 6,592 feet in 1983 and 1984, respectively, both off the U.S. East Coast. TheDiscoverer Seven Seas also achieved a world record in 1987, working in 7,520 feet of water in the U.S. Gulf ofMexico. The crew reports that the rig has never been out ofwork, since coming out of the shipyard, apart from scheduledmaintenance and surveys. Today, the Discoverer Seven Seasis working for Petrobras offshore Brazil, and will be for thenext two years.

Built in 1975 by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuildingof Osaka, Japan, the Discoverer 534’s steady performanceincludes a 1996 world record for working in 7,612 feet ofwater in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Petrobras, Shell, Amoco,Mobil and Conoco are all on the list of customers served bythe Discoverer 534 over the years. More recently, the rigdrilled the discovery well at BP Amoco’s Crazy Horse fieldin the U.S. Gulf. The rig’s current schedule includes a systemsupgrade before continuing under contract in the U.S. Gulffor BP Amoco.

What’s in a Name? Prizes!Employees of Transocean Sedco Forex have risen to the occasiononce again to solve a deep quandary—what to call the new company’s publications. Employees from around the world submittedmore than 230 nominated names for the company magazine you are now reading, a rig report newsletter (On Location) and a globale-mail bulletin (FIRST On-Line). Six winners were chosen by a panelof judges from Investor Relations and Communications, Marketing,Rig Operations, Human Resources, Training, Senior Managementand Support Staff, as well as external communications professionals.

When drilling, you sometimes have to go deeper to realizethe full impact. The same could be said for this contest. There weremore winners than the six who received prizes. Each winner willreceive a reimbursement for dinner for two up to $150. More important, each of the six employees will receive a $500 checkmade out to his or her favorite charity. As you’ll see from the winners’ profiles, some very good causes will benefit. And finally,all 7,300 Transocean Sedco Forex employees benefit from havinga communications program based on employee input.

station keeping. He also maneuversthe rig while on location for differentstages of the program, from initialset up at a new location to skiddingthe rig for running and retrievingthe BOPs, to moving the rig betweendrilling locations and ballastingoperations.

Entering the naming contestwas an opportunity George says hecouldn’t pass up. “As the sayinggoes,‘nothing ventured, nothinggained,’”he says, adding, “the prizesoffered were worthwhile, and it isgratifying to know that whoeverwon, a good cause was going tobenefit.”

George says the charity hechose is the Special Care Baby Unitat York Hospital in York, England,because: “My son was born prema-turely, and the care and treatmentthat he, my wife and I experiencedthere were excellent.”

George FraserDynamic Positioning OperatorSedco 709, Nigeria

George submitted the name DrillingFrontiers for the company magazinefor employees and customers. Thejudging panel altered it a little toOffshore Frontiers, which was okaywith George. “The reasoning behindmy choice is quite simple,”he says.“The company intends to focus ondrilling wells in ‘frontier’ locations,be they deepwater and/or harshenvironments, capitalizing on theexperience gained over the manyyears in these areas.”

George has been with thecompany a little more than 11 years.As a dynamic positioning expert, itis his job to make sure the Sedco709 stays in position over the desig-nated drilling location. He monitorsand records the status of variousequipment and systems involved in

The Winners


PeopleFIRST

The donation will help support families with prematureand very ill babies, including aclothes lending service.“It’s a veryimportant aspect because findingclothes for very small babies ishard,”George says.

As for his company-support-ed night on the town, George haschosen the Barn Again in LeazesArcade in Newcastle Upon Tyne.“The food is excellent, and my wifeand I have very fond memories ofeating there.”

Wolf KrusemarkCaptainDiscoverer 534, Gulf of Mexico

Wolf was one of four employeeswho submitted the name OnLocation for the righand newslet-ter. “On Location is synonymouswith what we do. The rigs are ontop of things, and it’s part of my job to make sure that we stay ‘onlocation’ when we are drilling,”he explains.

Wolf has helped navigatehis rig on top of things for nineyears. As captain, or ocean-goingmaster in marine terminology, heoversees the drillship’s marine-relat-ed maintenance, regulatory compli-ance and lifesaving equipment andensures the vessel’s watertightintegrity.

Wolf and Chief Mate DanFuller both entered the namebecause they thought they had a good idea and because of theopportunity to donate $500 to charity. The captain plans to donatehis check to the Porter LeathChildren’s Center in Memphis,Tennessee, a charity that the crewof the Discoverer 534 has supportedin the past with their donations.

“My wife and I were livingin Memphis a couple of years agowhen we learned about the workPorter Leath does from a friend whoserved on the center’s board. Theydo what nobody else wants to do,”Wolf says. “They help children and

teens who have been affected bydomestic violence,AIDS and drugs.”

The captain and his wifedined at Kinkead’s in Washington,D.C. “It was great and we surelyappreciated it,”he reports.

Dan FullerChief MateDiscoverer 534, Gulf of Mexico

Dan, who has been with the com-pany for four years, saw enteringthe contest as an opportunity toadd to the charitable reputation of the 534. As the drillship’s chiefmate, Dan’s duties are focused onnavigation, positioning, mainte-nance and safety. He thought OnLocation was most appropriate

because “that’s where our crew-members spend half of their lives.”

Dan says the generous $500award will be donated to theFootprints Food Pantry in Kittery,Maine.“It is a small, communityfood bank run by fine local folkswith the goal of enabling peopleto get back on their feet duringrough times. They have helpedcountless families.”

As for dinner? “My wife,Jennifer, and I will be enjoying adinner of calimari, courtesy ofTransocean Sedco Forex, some-where in Boston’s Italian northend, possibly followed by a RedSox game at Fenway. Any remainingfunds will be donated to Chuck E.Cheese, courtesy of our two-year-old son, Gavin. Thanks again to the company for sponsoring such a generous contest.”

Mike WilburnEngineering ManagerEnterprise-Class Newbuilds,Houston

Mike submitted two winning names:On Location for the righand newslet-ter and FIRST On-Line for the e-mailbulletin. He says he likes the idea of having different publications fordifferent segments of the company.“And any chance to provide inputto something new the company isdoing is always enjoyable.”

Mike has been with thecompany for 18 years and has donehis share of providing input to new projects. Having managed the engineering and major equipment delivery efforts for the DiscovererEnterprise, he is currently handlingthose responsibilities for the nexttwo Enterprise-class vessels.

In determining the entries,Mike says he thought the namesneeded to carry something aboutthe publication’s purpose. “For the e-mail, a name with on-line init carries the idea of getting infor-mation electronically — in realtime. Plus, on the rigs, on-line

21

Wolf Krusemark

Mike Wilburn

means something is working andcarrying out its purpose. For therighand publication, on locationbrings to mind being offshore orin a foreign location. Also, theterm on location means that therig and crew are in the right spotand carrying out their tasks.”

Mike has decided to donatethe $500 to Child Advocates ofHouston because he admires thework they do. Child Advocate volunteers are assigned by juvenilecourt judges to work on behalf of abused children and act as acommunications link between the child and the system.

“Out of all the crimes thatare committed, child abuse is prob-ably the one that people have theleast tolerance for, but is at the sametime very common. Did you knowthat child abuse is the number one killer of children under four?Children are usually unable to doanything about the abuse, so theyneed an ‘advocate’ to help themreceive any assistance that is avail-able,” says Mike.

For dinner, Mike’s wife hasselected Vargo’s in Houston. “It isnear our house, and they have swansand peacocks (on the grounds, noton the menu!). I sometimes dodgethe peacocks who have meanderedout on the road on my way to workin the morning, but I have neverbeen to the restaurant.”

Mark DiehlSenior Project ManagerDeep Seas Engineering Site TeamAstano Shipyard, Spain

Mark also submitted the name OnLocation because he thought itaptly described most employees’jobs. “On location is where wework, what our clients pay us for,”he says. Mark continues to be onlocation in Spain where he man-aged the design and constructionof the vessel part of the DiscovererEnterprise and Discoverer Spirit

and is now managing the construc-tion of the vessel part of theDiscoverer Deep Seas.

As Offshore Frontiers wentto press, Mark was still contemplat-ing which charity to bestow the$500 donation. “I will most likelygive it to one of the Houston areachurches,” he says. As for dinner,Mark says he plans to take advan-tage of that perk on his next visitto Houston. The only requirement?“We want some place quiet.”

Juliana ChuaOffice AdministratorField Support, Singapore

Juliana sent in the name FIRSTOnline. “It seemed the appropriatename as the announcements will beconveyed via e-mail, and this formof communications will always keepemployees the ‘first to know.’” Shesays entering contests is one of herfavorite past-times. “In this instance,I felt the company had initiated thecontest and it was only fair that theemployees made an effort to par-ticipate. Basically, it is fun to seethe contributions by individuals.”

Juliana has been with thecompany for 16 years. As officeadministrator, she handles multipleduties for Field Support ManagerDave Simpson and his team.Affectionately known to the team as“Mama San Julie,” she takes care oflocal staff payroll and coordinatesinternational staff housing, travel,visas and immigration. She also created the Field Support web page,which she now maintains.

The $500 award will begiven to the Kwong Wai ShiuHospital, Juliana says. “The donationwill be useful for medical supplies.The hospital is a non-profit charita-ble organization that provides long-term care for chronically ill patients.Most of the patients are at a ripeold age. They are accepted by thehospital irrespective of race, religionand financial circumstances.”

Juliana will be dining highabove Singapore in the CompassRose at the Westin Stamford Hotel.“The restaurant is located on the70th floor of the hotel, which is incidentally reported in theGuinness Book of World Recordsas the highest hotel in the world.The restaurant offers exquisite,picturesque day and night views of Singapore. Shouldn’t this be agood enough reason to dine there?”

Indeed it should.


Juliana Chua

Mark Diehl

People FIRST will be a regular feature in Offshore Frontiers, and we’d like to hear from you regardingwho to include. Do you know of one or more co-workers who go above and beyond their duties byserving the community as well? Or maybe your rig or division recently rallied in support of a charity.You can send an article or just the facts and we’ll take it from there. If your article is published, we’llsend you a Transocean Sedco Forex hat. It’s our way of saying thanks and hats off for a job welldone! Send in your articles and story ideas to Guy Cantwell, Manager of Corporate Communications,[email protected].

Hats Off to the Sedco 712!The first Hats Off to People recipient is HowardMeredith, OIM, of the Sedco 712, who submitted the following article that appeared in the AberdeenPress and Journal about a charity raffle sponsoredby the rig’s crew during the December holidays.

Rig workers from Transocean Sedco Forex dugdeep into their pockets over the festive season fordisadvantaged kids.

A total of 90 men working on the Sedco 712 rig,132 miles east of Shetland raised more than £1700 for the Aberdeen branch of the Royal Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Children from a variety of special events.

Organizer Dennis Pirie, Maintenance Supervisor,said these included quizzes, raffles and games.

“I would say that about 90% of the lads are familymen, and that is why we wanted the money to go tochildren.

“At Christmas there are lots of kids that do nothave very much so it is nice to be able to contributeto those who don’t.The charity has promised to keepus in touch with what they do with the money.”

Congratulations to Howard Meredith, DennisPirie, Tom Blackie and the entire Sedco 712 crew on a job well done!

Hats Off to People FIRST!

23

Dennis Pirie presents a check to Jenny Henderson and LynneBoyd, both of the Aberdeen branch of the Royal Society for thePrevention of Cruelty to Children.

PeopleFIRST

Setting New PerformanceLevelsI wish to express Anadarko’s sincereappreciation for the performanceof the Transocean 96 drilling crewon our Grand Isle 116 #2 well.Reaching a 19,160-foot measureddepth for a subsalt well in 38 daysestablishes a new benchmark forthis play. This record performancewas matched with no LTIs or MMSviolations to complete a job welldone. We reached our first incentiveplateau at 10,000 feet, 17 daysahead of schedule. At total depth,we were another 35 days fasterthan planned for a combined 52days under target.

The results on this welldemonstrate the success of a teameffort and “can-do” attitude. Thesupport of Transocean Sedco Forexand all the service providers isgreatly appreciated. We look for-ward to continuous improvementon the next well and the challengesof setting new performance levelsin the subsalt trend.

Sincerely,Robert A. MeizeDivision Drilling ManagerAnadarko

Bucking the Cold StackSafety Incident TrendOn behalf of Texaco North Sea UKCo., I would like to commend theTransocean John Shaw team whoworked with us on the GalleyWorkover and the Captain Appraisaldrilling campaign, and contributedso positively to a successful operation.

All operations were carriedwith a high degree of professional-ism and, most important, in anexcellent safety environment. Therig was brought out of cold stackto commence the contract, and itwas quite clear that during the

intervening period, the crews hadbeen working very effectively toimprove safety awareness. A rigstart-up from cold stack is moreoften than not associated with avery poor safety record. The crewsshould be congratulated on buckingthe trend.

Both of our senior drillingsupervisors, Dave McCall and MikeWillis, have had nothing but praisefor the performance of the rig andthe attitude of the crews. Theoperations on the Captain Appraisalwells involved a lot of top-holedrilling and BOP handling, whichare more safety sensitive than mostdrilling operations. The crews man-aged these operations effectively,safely and with a positive attitude.

I would like to thank theJohn Shaw team for their effortsand their excellent performance to date. I would be very happy to work with the rig again in thefuture, should the opportunityarise and would strongly recom-mend the rig to any operators who are considering taking her on contract.

Yours truly,Dave DownieWell Operations LeaderDrilling & Subsea GroupTexaco North Sea UK Co.

Achieving ExcellenceTotal Oil Marine Drilling Departmentwould like to thank all the person-nel who have been involved in well210/15a-6 Operations. Thank you foryour excellent achievement concern-ing safety and efficient operations.

Good luck to all of you inyour next Ireland Operations. Hopeto work with you again in thefuture.

Jean-Paul GuidoniTotal Oil MarineDrilling Department

Outstanding PerformanceOn behalf of CABGOC, we wouldlike to personally congratulateTrident XIV rig personnel for theoutstanding performance on theSouth Sanha Drilling Program fromMay 1997 through March 2000.The program scope of drilling 14wells was completed ahead of theoriginal forecast.

The good drilling perfor-mance was also accompanied by anexcellent safety record, that includedthe rig achieving five years withouta lost-time accident in September1999. Additionally, we would liketo thank all the onsite personnelfor the many time-saving ideas andsuggestions that originated on therig. Our involvement with theoperation of the Trident XIV hasbeen a truly gratifying experience.

Please accept this electronicplanner as a token of our apprecia-tion for a job well done. We lookforward to our continuing relation-ship and an accident-free workingenvironment.

Regards,Rick Jones/Les GreenDrilling SuperintendentChevron

Two Years of Safety andCountingOn behalf of Wintershall NoordzeeB.V., I would like to congratulateTransocean Offshore (North Sea)on achieving a safety milestone oftwo years without an LTI with therig Transocean Nordic.

I believe this achievement,together with the rig’s earlier achieve-ment of 100 percent compliancewith the Transocean SMS, reflectsthe high level of commitment shownto safety by staff at all levels in yourorganization and particularly withregard to the crew on board theTransocean Nordic. This level of

Connecting with Customers


The Mars pre-drill devel-opment program began in the fourth quarter of 1993, with Sonat’s semi-submersible George Richardson (now the Transocean Richardson) contracted to perform the challenging work.Given the size of the reserves and the initial investment required,there was an enormous incentive to deliver high- rate,high-ultimate-recoverywells on time and within budget.

“

”


A special Hart's edition,published in December1999, detailed Shell’sMars project and the roleTransoceanRichardsonplayedin itssuccess.

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commitment is demanded routinelyby the drilling industry, but is onethat many only aspire to.

The new challenge for theTransocean Nordic crew and theorganization in general is to extendthis milestone as long as possible.Winterhall Noordzee wishes youevery success in achieving this goaland we look forward to assistingyou to achieve it through mutualcooperation in our current rigcampaign.

Yours faithfully,P.A. BarnettOperations ManagerWintershall Noordzee B.V.

Focusing on a Job WellDonePlease pass on my compliments tothe drill crew on tour the earlymorning of Sunday, March 19; inparticular Russell Valli (driller),Simon Rodda (toolpusher), AlFermin (toolpusher), and yourself(Chuck Hodkins). Because of theiralertness, expertise and profession-alism, the well kick taken at 0200hrs. that morning was handledwithout incident. The kick wasdetected quickly and the well was shut-in. The well was then

controlled and killed according to procedure.

As everyone is aware whendrilling an exploratory well, it takespeople who are focused on theirjob (especially in the early morn-ing hours). You guys have proven itagain. Job Well Done!!!

Regards,Mike BunyakPetroleum Authority of

Thailand Exploration and Production(PTTEP

Corporate Report

The Transocean Sedco Forex external Internet Web site atwww.deepwater.com has beenupdated to include more accessibleand timely information to all com-pany stakeholders. The company’sInternet home page is designed toserve as the first stop in externalaudiences’ search for TransoceanSedco Forex information.

Everyone from investors toprospective employees can learnabout the company through morethan 20 sections at the site.Investors can track the currentprice at which the company’sstock is trading, read the latestnews release and order an Annual

Report to Shareholders and othermaterials. Prospective employeescan view the latest job postings,submit their resumes and obtainthe name and number of a recruiterin their area. Customers can instant-ly see what rigs are available for hireand what markets they are locatedin through a global map of the fleetand a table that includes initialspecifications of rigs.

Audiences, including students, can also learn about thecompany’s history and senior man-agement, or just hone in on specialsections about the Sedco Express-class and Enterprise-class rigs, plusthe research vessel Joides Resolution.

The company’s Internet Website will be periodically expandedwith targeted enhancements suchas automatic e-mails of news releasesto people who request them.

Company Internet Site Serves Wide Audience

Minita Orta, Marketing Secretary, Houston,surfs the Transocean Sedco Forex site atwww.deepwater.com for the latest newsand information about the company.

Annual Report, Proxy Statement Mailed

The company’s 1999 Annual Report toShareholders and Proxy Statement have beenmailed to shareholders. The Annual Report provides shareholders with insight to the advantages of the merger of Transocean OffshoreInc. and Sedco Forex Holdings Limited. It alsoincludes discussions of the company’s financialand operational performance. “This year, theAnnual Report focused on the unique attributes of Transocean Sedco Forex, including our globalfleet and markets,” said Jeff Chastain, Director of Investor Relations and Communications. “The report provides shareholders with a goodintroduction to the company.” Anyone who needs to order a copy of the 1999 Annual Report

to Shareholders can obtain one by sending a written request and returnmailing address to: Transocean Sedco Forex, Investor Relations, Room1117, 4 Greenway Plaza, Houston, Texas 77046.

The Proxy Statement alerts shareholders to the May 11, 2000,Annual General Meeting of Transocean Sedco Forex, Inc. The meeting at the Renaissance Hotel in Houston will include a presentation on thecompany, and Chairman Victor E. Grijalva and J. Michael Talbert,President and Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a question-and-answer session. The meeting’s business matters include the re-election offour directors.



J. Michael Talbert, President andCEO, was the lead-off industryexpert quoted in the February2000 issue of Hart’s E&P. Editor inChief Mark Thomas reported onmobile rig trends and the time lagfrom oil price recovery to higherrig utilization.

“A Salomon Smith Barney surveyindicates that 70% of respondents plan toincrease spending levels during 2000. So JohnQ. Customer has not forgotten about the off-shore drilling business. Rather he is justadhering to a historical pattern of behavior,”Talbert said.

Ringing in theNew YearTransocean Sedco Forex President and Chief Executive Officer J. MichaelTalbert (fifth from left) and his wife,Sharon, spearhead a group ringing thebell that marks the closing of tradingat the New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) on January 12, 2000. Also onthe podium above the floor of theworld’s largest stock exchange are(left to right): Andrew Cader of Spear,Leads & Kellogg, the specialist firmthat coordinates the trading of RIGshares on the NYSE; Robert L. Long,Transocean Sedco Forex ExecutiveVice President, Chief Financial Officerand Treasurer; NYSE Chairman andCEO Richard A. Grasso; Brian Toolan ofSpear Leads & Kellogg; Jeff Chastain,Director of Investor Relations andCommunications of the company; andJim Coufas of Spear, Leeds & Kellogg.Not shown, is Mary Laidlaw, a friend of the Talberts.

Measuring Our SuccessTransocean Sedco Forex Stock Price PerformanceJanuary 3, 2000 to March 31, 2000

Transocean Sedco Forex Fleet Utilization Rates — First Quarter 2000By Rig Type

Semisubmersibles & Drillships 60%Jackups 72%Tenders 33%Total 62%

Transocean Sedco Forex Fleet Utilization Rates — First Quarter 2000By Regions

North America 56%Brazil 82%Asia 55%Middle East 53%Africa 66%Norway 95%U.K. & Europe 47%Worldwide 62%

The price of Transocean Sedco Forex common stock rose approximately 50% betweenJanuary 3, 2000, and March 31, 2000, climbing from $32.81 per share to more than $51 per share. The increase reflects strong demand for the company's stock, which trades under the symbol RIG on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Source: New York Stock ExchangeData reflects daily closing stock prices for Transocean Sedco Forex stock.

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Newbuild Project Customer Contract EstimatedTerms Delivery

Discoverer Spirit Unocal 5 years 3Q 2000

Discoverer Deep Seas Chevron 5 years 4Q 2000

Sedco Express Elf 3 years 3Q 2000

Cajun Express Marathon 3 years 3Q 2000

Sedco Energy Texaco 5 years 3Q 2000

Trident 20* Elf 3 years 4Q 2000

The setting of the dual-activity derrick on the ultra-deepwater drillshipDiscoverer Spirit in February, marks a milestone in the final stages of construc-tion of the rig at the Aker Gulf Maritime shipyard near Corpus Christi, Texas,USA. Unlike the Discoverer Enterprise, which had its derrick set on the rig inthree sections, AGM moved the whole derrick in one piece onto the deck of theDiscoverer Spirit.

In Azerbaijan, the Trident 20 is undergoing final outfit-ting toward becoming the first Western-made jackup towork in the Caspian Sea.

The Sedco Express and Sedco Energy high-specification semisubmersibles are scheduledfor christening during May at the DCN shipyard at Brest, France. The rigs, like thealready-christened Cajun Express, are scheduled to begin work under separate contractsduring the third quarter.The Discoverer Deep Seas is scheduled for sea trials offshoreSpain, before returning to the Astano shipyard and a trip to the Aker Gulf Marineshipyard near Corpus Christi,Texas, USA, this summer for final construction, includingthe mud modules, derrick and other installations.

*Owned by a joint venture; owned more than 50% by the company.


The Big SixAll of the company’s newbuild construction projects are taking

major steps toward delivery this year.

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TendersSedco Express-class Semisubmersibles

Enterprise-class Drillships Jackups High-SpecificationSemisubmersibles

Other DrillshipsOther Semisubmersibles

U.S. Gulf of Mexico

Brazil

S. & W. Africa

UK & Europe

E. Canada

SE AsiaIndia

Australia

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2 4

1 1

Shawn Southworth, Senior Toolpusher, explains how dual activity works on the Discoverer Enterprise to a group of investment analysts, who toured theultra-deepwater drillship in early April. From left to right are: Ronnie Gombert of USAA Investment Management, Shawn Southworth, Jim Orser of LutherKing Capital Management, Jim Shope of 1838 Investors, Joe Basset of Bank One, and Rahin S. Kassim-Lakha of U.S. Global Investment. In addition, JonCole, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Jeff Chastain, Director of Investor Relations and Communications, and Eric Brown, Vice President, GeneralCounsel and Secretary, participated in the tour, which included presentations by several crewmembers and lunch. 29

Type and NameSedco Express-Class Semisubmersibles (3)Cajun ExpressSedco EnergySedco ExpressOther High-Specification Semisubmersibles (12)Transocean MarianasSedco 707 Sedco 710Transocean RichardsonSedco 709 Transocean LeaderTransocean RatherSovereign ExplorerHenry Goodrich Paul B. Loyd, Jr. Transocean Arctic Polar PioneerOther Semisubmersibles (31)Sedco 700Transocean LegendTransocean AmiranteTransocean DrillerOmega Transocean 96Transocean 97Transocean John Shaw Sedco 711Sedco 712Sedco 714ActiniaDrillstar Sedco 600 Sedco 601Sedco 602 Sedneth 701Sedco 702Sedco 703Sedco 708Transocean Winner Transocean Searcher Transocean Prospect Transocean Wildcat Transocean ExplorerTransocean DiscovererSedco 704Sedco 706Sedco Explorer Sedco I-Orca Sedco 135DDiscoverer Enterprise-Class Drillships (3)Discoverer Enterprise Discoverer Spirit Discoverer Deep Seas Other Drillships (4)Discoverer Seven Seas Discoverer 534 Joides Resolution Sagar Vijay Jackup Rigs (17)Transocean JupiterOffshore CometOffshore MercuryTransocean IIIShelf ExplorerTransocean NordicTrident IITrident IVTrident VITrident VIIITrident IXTrident XIITrident XIVTrident 15Trident 16 Trident 17Trident 20 Tenders (3)Searex 9Searex 10Searex 11Swamp Barges (6)Searex 4Searex 6Searex 7Searex 8Searex 12Hibiscus

Yr. Entered Service/Upgraded

NewbuildNewbuildNewbuild

1979/19981976/1997

19831988

1977/19991987/1997

198819841985

1991/199319861985

1973/19971983

1978/199719911983

1975/19971977/1997

198219821983

1983/199719821982

1983/199419831983

1972/19931973/19921973/1995

19761983

1983/19881983/19921977/1985

19761977/19851974/19931976/19941975/19951970/19871966/1977

1999NewbuildNewbuild

1976/19971975/1991

19781985

1981/19971980

1969/19981978/1993

19821984

1977/19851980/1999

198119811982

1982/19921982/1994

198219821983

Newbuild

19811983/1994

1983

1981/19891981/1991

19801985/19891982/19921979/1993

8,5007,5007,500

7,0006,5006,0005,0005,0004,5004,5004,0002,0002,0001,6501,500

3,6003,5003,5003,0003,0002,3002,3001,8001,8001,6001,6001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,5001,3001,2501,2501,0001,0001,000

900600

10,00010,00010,000

7,0007,000

27,0002,950

170250250300300300300300300300400300300300300355350

460450350

6.62525222525

35,00025,00025,000

25,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00030,00025,00025,00025,000

25,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,00025,000

35,00035,00035,000

25,00025,00030,00020,000

16,00020,00020,00020,00025,00025,00025,00025,00021,00021,00021,00025,00020,00025,00025,00025,00025,000

21,00021,00020,000

16,00025,00020,00020,00020,00021,000

LocationSemisu fulled Shipyard (Singapore)Shipyard (France)Shipyard (France)

U.S. Gulf of MexicoBrazil BrazilU.S. Gulf of MexicoNigeriaU.K. North SeaU.S. Gulf of MexicoU.K. North SeaCanadaU.K. North SeaNorwegian North SeaNorwegian North Sea

Shipyard (Gabon)BrazilU.S. Gulf of MexicoBrazilSouth AfricaU.S. Gulf of MexicoU.S. Gulf of MexicoU.K. North SeaU.K. North SeaU.K. North SeaCanada MaltaU.K. North SeaVietnamIndonesiaSingaporeCongoAustraliaAustraliaAngolaNorwegian North SeaNorwegian North SeaNorwegian North SeaNorwegian North SeaU.K. North SeaU.K. North SeaU.K. North SeaU.K. North SeaU.K. North SeaSouth AfricaBrazil

U.S. Gulf of MexicoShipyard (U.S.)Shipyard (Spain)

BrazilU.S. Gulf of MexicoWorldwideIndia

UAEGulf of Suez, EgyptGulf of Suez, EgyptUAEDanish North SeaGerman North SeaIndiaAngolaNigeriaNigeriaThailandBruneiAngolaVietnamThailandIndonesiaShipyard (Azerbaijan)

CongoAngolaSingapore

NigeriaNigeriaIndonesiaIndonesiaNigeriaIndonesia

Designd

SFXpressSFXpressSFXpress

Sedco 700Sedco 700Sedco 700GVA 4500Sedco 700Aker H-4.2GVA 4500GVA 4000SES 5000Aker H-4.2Marosso 56Sonat/Hitachi

Sedco 700Bingo 3000Aker H-3L-1033 PacesetterTrosvik Bingo 3000PentagonPentagonPacesetterSedco 711Sedco 711Sedco 711L-1033 PacesetterPacesetterSedco 600Sedco 600Sedco 600Sedco 700Sedco 700Sedco 700Sedco 700GVA 4000Trosvik Bingo 3000Bingo 3000Aker H-3Aker H-3Aker H-3Sedco 700Sedco 700Aker H-3Sedco 135Sedco 135

Transocean EnterpriseTransocean EnterpriseTransocean Enterprise

Sonat DiscovererSonat DiscovererSedco 400 Ice 1-BPelican

Sonat CantileverSonat CantileverSonat CantileverSonat Orion CantileverCFEM T2005-C Cantil.CFEM T2600C1 Cantil.Marathon LT 116CMarathon LT 116CModec 300CModec 300CModec 400CBMC 300 1-CBMC 300 CantileverModec 300C-38Modec 300CModec 300C-38F&G Mod. V

Tender Assisted, Self-Erecting



Swamp BargeSwamp BargeSwamp BargeSwamp BargeSwamp BargeHeavy Swamp Barge

BOP Rating

18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi

18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi

18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi 18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi

N/A

18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi

18 3/4 in., 15,000 psi18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi

N/A18 3/4 in., 10,000 psi

13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 5,000 psi13 5/8 in., 5,000 psi13 5/8 in., 5,000 psi13 5/8 in., 5,000 psi

13 5/8 in., 15,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 15,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 15,000 psi

N/AN/AN/A

13 5/8 in., 5,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 5,000 psi

13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi13 5/8 in., 10,000 psi

1.2.3.

4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.

16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.

47.48.49.

50.51.52.53.

54.55.56.57.58.59.60.61.62.63.64.65.66.67.68.69.70.

71.72.73.

74.75.76.77.78.79.

Water DepthCapability (ft.)

Drilling DepthCapability (ft.)

If you enjoy taking photographs, you can have yourimages judged by a team of professional photographersand publications designers in the first Transocean SedcoForex photography contest. The contest is open to anycompany employee who enters according to the rules.

Rules1. All entries must be postmarked no later

than September 4, 2000.2. No more than two prizes will be awarded

to any one employee.3. Winners will be notified by mail, and

their entries will be published in Offshore Frontiers.

4. Color, black-and-white and digital photographs can be entered in anyformat, including printed images and 35 mm or larger slides and transparencies.

5. The judges will determine the number of winning entries for each category.

CategoriesAt Work: Any photo of people working for the company

or of any rig or asset of the company.Away from Work: Any photo of anyone — employee or

non-employee.Nature: Any scenic image.

AwardsAwards will be given by category for color, black-and-white and digital photography for:Best of Show: $300First Place: $200 Second Place: $100 Third Place: $50

Additionally, all winners will receive a company shirtand cap.

How to EnterPlease complete the following form and mail a copywith each photo to:

Employee Annual Photography Contest c/o Executive Editor, Offshore FrontiersRoom 1108, 4 Greenway PlazaHouston,Texas USA 77046

Digital entries can be e-mailed to [email protected]

Employee Annual Photo Contest

Name___________________________________________

Title____________________________________________

Division, Rig, Office_______________________________

Address_________________________________________

City, State, Region, Country_________________________

Zip Code or Postal Code___________________________

Title of Photo____________________________________

Category________________________________________

Description of Photo______________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Employee Photo Contest First Companywide Photography Contest Opens

Documents

OFFSHORE FRONTIERS A Transocean Sedco Forex … Magazine/Frontiers_Spring... · A Transocean Sedco Forex Publication Spring 2000. ... improvement in deepwater drilling performance,you