The new rigs, known as category J, will be jack-ups designed by the industry on behalf of Statoil.
Statoil Statoil said the rigs will be 20% more efficient than conventional rigs and the company will propose for licence groups to take on ownership of the rigs.
The new category J rigs will be able to operate at water depths from 70 to 150m and drill wells down to 10,000m.
The new rigs will be a jack-up rig suited for operations in harsh environment on both surface- and subsea wells in the shallow-water segments on the NCS and used primarily for drilling and completion of production wells.
Statoil plans to invite suppliers for a minimum of two cat J rigs to be issued in July and the contracts will be awarded in the second half of 2012.
The rigs will be delivered in the second half of 2015.
