Aberdeen-based Well-Safe Solutions has agreed to acquire the Ocean Guardian semi-submersible drilling unit, sparking another jobs boost for the company.

The asset, currently owned by Diamond Offshore, has drilled hundreds of wells since entering service in 1985.

Upon delivery, Well-Safe will start work immediately on an upgrade of the semi-sub, which will be renamed the ‘Well-Safe Guardian’, converting the asset into a plug and abandonment (P&A) unit.

Well-Safe said it will invest in the region of $100 million dollars on upgrades. This will include installing a dive system and the capability to deploy a SIL (subsea intervention lubricator) – which is nearing completion of the design and engineering phase, supported by the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC).

Well-Safe confirmed that the acquisition would bring a further ninety jobs to the North Sea over the course of the next year, adding to the company’s current forty employees.

This is the first time a privately owned, Scottish business will own and operate this type of unit. Well-Safe is already progressing conversations to add a second semi-submersible to its business. This will be followed by a Jack-Up, mono-hull vessel and land-based P&A units.

Mark Patterson, executive director, said: “This is a major milestone in Well-Safe’s journey and one that is in-line with our strategy. It’s great to have The Ocean Guardian, which has a great reputation on which we will build, as our first asset.”