SLB Secures Integrated Drilling Services Contract with Vår Energi Offshore Norway
Global energy technology company SLB has been selected by Norwegian oil and gas producer Vår Energi as its main integrated drilling services supplier for two offshore drilling rigs operating on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The agreement strengthens the existing relationship between the companies and expands SLB’s involvement in Vår Energi’s offshore exploration and development activities.
Under the selection, SLB will provide integrated drilling services for the Transocean Barents and Deepsea Bergen rigs. Both rigs are harsh-environment semisubmersibles designed to operate in challenging offshore conditions. They will be deployed continuously to drill exploration and development wells during the contract period, supporting Vår Energi’s activities across the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
The initial contract covers a four-year period and includes four additional one-year extension options. If all extension options are exercised, the agreement could continue through 2034. The long-term arrangement is intended to provide operational continuity and support the delivery of multiple offshore wells through an integrated service model.
The selection reflects Vår Energi’s approach to improving drilling performance by bringing together technical capabilities, operational expertise and digital technologies. Rather than managing individual drilling services through separate arrangements, the integrated delivery model is designed to connect different stages of well delivery under a coordinated operating structure.
Through the agreement, SLB will combine its drilling technology, engineering expertise, digital workflows and operational execution capabilities to support Vår Energi’s offshore programme. The integrated approach will cover activities across the well delivery process, connecting planning and execution to improve coordination and support more consistent operational outcomes.
A central element of the arrangement is collaboration between SLB, Vår Energi and other selected service and technology providers. By working together within a more connected operating framework, the companies aim to simplify interfaces between service providers, reduce unnecessary complexity and improve coordination across drilling activities.
The model will also make greater use of operational data to support decision-making. Access to relevant information throughout the well delivery process can help project teams identify operational requirements, evaluate performance and respond to changing conditions more effectively. Connecting planning activities with execution is expected to support faster decisions and improve predictability during drilling operations.
Offshore drilling projects involve multiple technical disciplines, equipment providers and service companies. Coordinating these activities is particularly important in harsh-environment operations, where weather conditions, equipment performance and complex well requirements can influence operational schedules. An integrated approach can help align the different elements of drilling operations and establish clearer responsibilities across participating teams.
For Vår Energi, the selection is part of its wider effort to challenge conventional operating practices and improve the efficiency of its offshore activities. The company believes that closer cooperation between operators, contractors and technology providers can create opportunities to improve drilling performance while delivering greater value from its Norwegian Continental Shelf assets.
Torger Rød, chief operating officer of Vår Energi, said the company intends to challenge traditional ways of working to create greater value on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. He highlighted the importance of connecting planning and execution while combining technical expertise, technology and operational data.
According to Rød, the integrated approach will allow the companies to work across traditional organisational and service boundaries. By improving cooperation and coordination, Vår Energi aims to deliver wells more quickly, increase operational predictability and achieve greater value from its drilling activities.
For SLB, the selection represents another opportunity to apply its integrated service capabilities in a major offshore market. The company will focus on combining technology, technical expertise, operating discipline and digital capabilities to support Vår Energi’s drilling programme.
ND Maduemezia, president of Europe and Africa at SLB, said the company values the confidence Vår Energi has placed in its capabilities. He noted that SLB’s immediate priority will be differentiated execution, bringing together its technology portfolio, engineering knowledge and digital resources to deliver consistently high performance at scale.
The contract also expands SLB’s existing relationship with Vår Energi. The companies already work together across several areas of offshore operations, including digital well planning, field development planning and subsea production systems.
SLB’s involvement in subsea production systems includes its OneSubsea joint venture, which provides technologies and solutions for subsea oil and gas developments. The addition of integrated drilling services broadens the scope of cooperation between the companies, extending their relationship further across the offshore project lifecycle.
Combining drilling services with existing digital planning and subsea capabilities creates opportunities for closer coordination between different phases of offshore development. Well planning, drilling execution and subsea production requirements are interconnected elements of offshore projects. Better alignment between these activities can help operators manage technical interfaces and support more efficient project delivery.
The agreement also demonstrates the continuing importance of integrated service models in the offshore oil and gas industry. Operators increasingly seek coordinated solutions that bring together specialist capabilities, digital technologies and operational experience. These arrangements can help reduce fragmentation between service providers and provide a more consistent framework for managing complex drilling programmes.
The Norwegian Continental Shelf remains an important offshore oil and gas region, with exploration and development activities requiring advanced equipment, specialised personnel and reliable drilling services. Harsh-environment conditions make operational planning and execution particularly important for companies working in the region.
For Vår Energi, maintaining reliable drilling operations across its offshore portfolio is essential to advancing exploration opportunities and developing existing resources. The deployment of the Transocean Barents and Deepsea Bergen rigs under the integrated service arrangement will support the company’s planned drilling activities over the coming years.
The four-year initial contract, together with its potential extensions, provides a long-term framework for cooperation between Vår Energi and SLB. The arrangement is expected to support continuous drilling operations while allowing the companies to build on their established relationship and improve coordination across technical and operational activities.
As the partnership develops, the focus will remain on integrating people, technology, data and execution capabilities to improve well delivery. By connecting planning with offshore operations and coordinating the contributions of multiple service providers, the companies aim to achieve faster, more predictable and more consistent drilling performance.
The selection further strengthens SLB’s position as a provider of integrated drilling solutions in the European offshore market while expanding its existing partnership with Vår Energi across the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
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