Dai Hung Petroleum Operating Company Limited under Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP POV) has successfully begun operation of the modern Dai Hung oil rig 02 (DH-02), which was domestically designed and manufactured, at Dai Hung (Big Bear) oil field. This again shows that the engineers of the oil and gas industry of Vietnam are capable of mastering the technology of building and installing oil rigs in the deep sea.
After a flight of more than one hour by the helicopter Super Puma VN8610 which departed from Vung Tau, we arrived at drilling rig DH-02 in the center of the Dai Hung oil field in Nam Con Son basin, 265km southeast of Vung Tau.
 A gas-burning tower of the Dai Hung oil rig 01. Photo: Hoang Ha  Dai Hung oil rig 01. Photo: Hoang Ha  Technicians working on Dai Hung oil rig. Photo: Hoang Ha  A ship laying oil pipelines in Dai Hung oil field. Photo: Phan Hoang Hao  Dai Hung oil rig 02 seen from above. Photo: Hoang Ha |
| Dai Hung Petroleum Operating Company Limited (POC) is a member company of the Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP), a main unit of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam). |
Seen from above, the rig looked huge and imposing in the dark blue water of the ocean. The rig, owned by PVEP POC, is particularly important because it is a specialized platform operating in deep water of over 110m. It is the largest and heaviest rig with a base weighing 4,900 tonnes fixed in the seabed. It is 125m high and has a superstructure weighing 1,100 tonnes.
DH-02 is the first rig manufactured in Vietnam and was built, installed and operated by local contractors. On August 11, 2011, after two years of implementing the project to develop Dai Hung oil field and more than two months of construction and installation, the first oil flow from the DH-12P well of DH-02 came out with a capacity of 6,400 barrels/day, 50 days earlier than the Government’s plan. As estimated, after completion, DH-02 with five wells will increase the oil output at Dai Hung oil field from 4,000 barrels/day to 18,000 barrels/day.
Previously, PVEP POC successfully operated the floating rig DH-01 at Dai Hung oil field after it renovated and upgraded the equipment. DH-01 was an old rig that was designed and put into operation in 1974.
DH-02 is the first rig manufactured in Vietnam and was built, installed and operated by local contractors. On August 11, 2011, after two years of implementing the project to develop Dai Hung oil field and more than two months of construction and installation, the first oil flow from the DH-12P well of DH-02 came out with a capacity of 6,400 barrels/day, 50 days earlier than the Government’s plan. As estimated, after completion, DH-02 with five wells will increase the oil output at Dai Hung oil field from 4,000 barrels/day to 18,000 barrels/day.
Previously, PVEP POC successfully operated the floating rig DH-01 at Dai Hung oil field after it renovated and upgraded the equipment. DH-01 was an old rig that was designed and put into operation in 1974.
 Maintaining a high-speed rescue ship of Dai Hung oil rig 01. Photo: Hoang Ha  Maintaining the rig’s equipment. Photo: Hoang Ha  The rig’s control center at Dai Hung oil field. Photo: Hoang Ha |
Receiving us at the drilling rig, engineer Tang Van Dong who was in charge of DH-01 and DH-02 said proudly: “There are 50 Vietnamese engineers and workers working at Dai Hung oil field. At DH-01 and DH-02 there are 11 operating wells with a total oil capacity of 14,000-15,000 barrels/day. This is not a small number compared with the capacity of 2,000-3,000 barrels/day that Malaysia’s Petronas Carigali reached at Dai Hung oil field in the 1990s.”
With what POC PVEP has achieved at Dai Hung oil field today, the oil and gas industry of Vietnam can be proud of its officials and engineers who spend their days and nights working at sea and devoting their talent and intellect to find a “black gold” source to enrich their country and contribute to protecting the security and sea sovereignty of their Fatherland.
Story: Vinh Hung - Photos: Hoang Ha - Phan Hoang Hao
