BP secures Noble rig for carbon storage project in the North Sea

Noble Corporation’s jack-up rig, Noble Innovator, has secured a new contract with BP to drill six confirmed wells for the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) project in the North Sea. The contract, starting in Q3 2026, includes options for additional wells and follows the rig’s existing BP contract, initially signed in December 2022.

BP and Noble agreed to expand the contract options in 2023, allowing up to six extra wells. In December 2024, BP extended the contract by two wells, prolonging operations until November 2026. The Noble Innovator rig, built in 2003 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea, accommodates 120 personnel.

The NEP project, led by BP, Equinor, and TotalEnergies, obtained a carbon storage permit from the North Sea Transition Authority in December 2024. It aims to inject 4 million tons of CO₂ annually over 25 years, potentially storing 100 million tons. Offshore geophysical surveys are planned to start in March 2025.