RusEnergy

Jul 15, 2008 - Scandinavian Oil-Gas Magazine - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has toured a new Arctic-capable Russian drill rig in the Cold War port of Sverodvinsk, it was understood Tuesday. News agency AFX said the rig will be good to minus 50 degrees Ceslsius and good against ice flows which build up every four years in the Eastern Barents Sea, home of giant oil and gas fields, including the 3.8-trillion-cubic-metre Shtokman. The news agency reported the rig will be finished in 2010, however shipbuilding yard Sevmash has been beset by problems meeting recent orders, including orders for Norwegian ship owner Odfjell. The yard cited rising steel and other project costs in the cancelled multi-ship order. The yard has traditionally built nuclear-powered vessels.