http://www.bgs.ac.uk/falklands-oil/download/download_files/news.pdf
Snip.
Desire's EIA approved by EXCO
Desire Petroleums EIA was approved at the May
Executive Council Meeting. The Falkland Islands
Government had the EIA reviewed by the Centre
for Environmental Assessment and Management,
part of the Institute of Environmental Management
& Assessment. The review was generally positive.
The EIA is still awaiting the addition of information
specific to the drilling rig that will be used to drill
wells.
Desire are experiencing delays in acquiring a
drilling rig. On 26 May world-wide there were a
total of 140 semi-submersible drilling rigs and 33
drill ships. Of these 121 semi-subs and 28
drillships were drilling. A further 16 semi-subs were
under contract. There are currently 23 semi-subs
under construction, 23 being modified (some of
which are under contract), 1 ready-stacked and 7
cold-stacked. Off Brazil, 38 of the 39 rigs available
are currently under contract. The rig that is not
under contract is being modified and is contracted
from August until January 2007. There are no drill
ships available off Brazil. Another potential source
of rigs is West Africa, but a tow from West Africa
would probably take twice the time from Brazil and
the mobilisation to the Falklands would increase
the cost of the wells.(Source rigzone.com)
The rig market may slacken as new rigs are built
and the cold-stacked rigs are reactivated. Once
these rigs are commissioned they will need to be
crewed. The availability of qualified crews is also a
problem as world wide there is currently a shortage
of personnel. (Offshore Magazine)