Australian oil and gas company Woodside will use the Riserless Mud Recovery system (RMR®) from AGR Drilling Services to ensure top-hole drilling goes as smoothly as possible.

AGR's Asia Pacific team has signed a deal worth an estimated NOK 4.5m (USD 800,000) to supply RMR® for use on Australia's North West Shelf approaching exploration campaign.

Woodside will use RMR® to drill through the Bare Formation of unconsolidated sands, renowned for difficult drilling conditions.

An advantage of RMR® is that it allows the use of an engineered mud system to prevent hole instability - without discharge to the seabed. This is done by using a subsea pump module to return mud and cuttings from the wellhead back to the rig.

Not only is the system from Norway-based AGR safer and environmentally beneficial, it also has the potential to save costly rig days - which typically cost USD 1m per day.

So far, RMR® has been used on more than 140 wells worldwide.

With Woodside, RMR® will be used off the semi-submersible drilling rig Nanhai VI. Drilling will occur at a depth of approximately 90m (295ft). Woodside, a company which 'seeks excellence in environmental performance', previously used RMR® in the Browse Basin in 2008.

Bernt Eikemo, General Manager Asia Pacific at AGR Drilling Services, said,'We are delighted to again have the opportunity to work for, and with, Woodside.

'In the Browse Basin well back in 2008 we helped Woodside achieve a zero-discharge drilling. This time we will help them by making the drilling safer, faster and more environmental friendly.'

Tags: AGR Drilling Services, Woodside Energy Ltd.