Petrobras, by means of its Petrobras Oil & Gas B.V. Turkey and the state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), announce the arrival of the Leiv Eiriksson drilling rig to Turkey this Thursday (12/31). The rig will be used at well Sinop 1, located in ultra-deep waters in the Black Sea, where the company will drill for the first time.

The region is considered one of the world’s last oil frontiers. Drilling activities at the Sinop 1 well, located some 145 km away from the city of Sinop, in the Black Sea, are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2010. Petrobras, the operator, and TPAO have equal shares of 50% in the Sinop license area.

About the Leiv Eiriksson drilling rig

The Leiv Eiriksson drilling rig was built in 2001 and is capable of performing drilling operations in water depths of up to 2,300 meters. Its total drilling capacity is of upwards of 9,000 meters. The rig is 119 meters long, 85 meters wide, and can lodge up to 140 people.