Deepwater Drilling Operations

Drilling in Cyprus requires specialized deepwater technology. With water depths of 1,500-2,500 meters, operators use dynamic positioning drillships and advanced well control systems to safely reach targets 4-5 kilometers below the seabed.

1,500-2,500
Water Depth (m)
4-5
Total Depth (km)
60-90
Days per Well
$80-120M
Cost per Well

Drilling Vessels

7th Generation Drillships

Cyprus exploration uses ultra-deepwater drillships capable of operating in up to 3,600m water depth. These vessels use dynamic positioning (DP) — computer-controlled thrusters that maintain position without anchors.

DP Class 3
Positioning System
200-250m
Vessel Length
150-200
Crew Size
$400-500k
Day Rate

The Drilling Process

1

Spud the Well

Lower the drill string through the water column and begin drilling into the seabed.

2

Run Conductor & Surface Casing

Install large diameter pipe to stabilize the wellbore and prevent shallow hazards.

3

Install BOP Stack

Connect the Blowout Preventer to the wellhead on the seabed — the critical safety barrier.

4

Drill to Target

Continue drilling through intermediate sections, running casing at each stage.

5

Evaluate & Test

Run wireline logs, take core samples, and potentially test flow if hydrocarbons found.

6

Plug & Abandon or Complete

Seal the well with cement plugs (dry hole) or prepare for production testing/development.

Well Control & Safety

Blowout Preventer (BOP)

The BOP stack sits on the seabed wellhead and can instantly seal the well if pressure builds unexpectedly. It contains multiple rams and shear mechanisms that can cut through drill pipe and seal the well.

450 tons
Weight
15,000 psi
Rating
5 Rams
Typical Config
Dual
Redundancy

Primary Barriers

  • • Drilling fluid (mud) column weight
  • • Blowout Preventer stack
  • • Cemented casing strings
  • • Real-time pressure monitoring

Secondary Systems

  • • Emergency disconnect system
  • • Capping stack on standby
  • • ROV intervention capability
  • • Relief well planning

Drilling in Cyprus

Year Well Operator Result
2011 Aphrodite-1 Noble Discovery
2014 Aphrodite-2 Noble Appraisal
2017 Onesiphoros West-1 Total Discovery
2018 Calypso-1 ENI Discovery
2019 Glaucus-1 ExxonMobil Discovery
2022 Cronos-1 ENI Discovery
2022 Zeus-1 ENI Discovery
Reserve Calculations Seismic Surveys