CNOOC Petroleum Europe Limited, a subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, has exercised a one-well option for the Maersk Drilling-owned Maersk Innovator jack-up rig.

Under the option, the Maersk Innovator will continue drilling infill wells at the Buzzard field on the UK Continental Shelf, the Danish drilling contractor said on Friday.

The option has an expected duration of approximately 100 days, which means the Mærsk Innovator is now firmly contracted until February 2020.

Mærsk Innovator is a CJ70 ultra-harsh environment jack-up rig which was delivered in 2003 and is designed for year-round operations in the North Sea.

“We're very pleased to be able to keep the Mærsk Innovator working on the Buzzard field. This extension is yet another indication that the activity level is rising in the North Sea, leading to a tightening market for our high-quality CJ70 rigs,” says CCIO of Maersk Drilling Morten Kelstrup.

Maersk Drilling was awarded a contract by Nexen Petroleum for the drilling of three wells and options for nine additional wells at UK's largest producing oil field, the Buzzard field in the Central North Sea in November 2017. The rig owner confirmed it would use its Maersk Innovator jack-up rig for Nexen's drilling campaign in the UK North Sea in February 2018.

Ahead of rig's Buzzard field drilling campaign in the North Sea, Semco Maritime extended the rig's cantilever during a yard stay at Invergordon, Scotland. The rig completed its yard stay in September 2018.