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March 17th 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending March 17th 2023.

  • Murphy Oil exercised two existing priced options on UDW drillship Noble Stanley Lafosse
  • QatarNorth exercised the final option on UDW drillship Noble Faye Kozack
  • Saipem confirmed UDW drillship Deep Value Driller Contract with Eni, Ivory Coast
  • Operational delays for jackup Enterprise 264 in Main Pass Block 74
  • BP discovers hydrocarbons at Puma West Appraisal
  • Imminent completion of Petronas Carigali contract for jackup COSLPower
  • Jackup Valaris 122 moved to Shearwater field
  • Jackup Shelf Drilling Perseverance moved from Southwark field
  • Jackup Noble Resilient moved to Breagh Alpha field
  • Dry well for Aker BP in PL1141
  • Var Energi places size of Countach discovery at 3-13 million bbls in tested segment

March 3rd 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending March 3rd 2023.

  • Murphy Oil exercised two existing priced options on UDW drillship Noble Stanley Lafosse
  • QatarNorth exercised the final option on UDW drillship Noble Faye Kozack
  • Saipem confirmed UDW drillship Deep Value Driller Contract with Eni, Ivory Coast
  • Operational delays for jackup Enterprise 264 in Main Pass Block 74
  • BP discovers hydrocarbons at Puma West Appraisal
  • Imminent completion of Petronas Carigali contract for jackup COSLPower
  • Jackup Valaris 122 moved to Shearwater field
  • Jackup Shelf Drilling Perseverance moved from Southwark field
  • Jackup Noble Resilient moved to Breagh Alpha field
  • Dry well for Aker BP in PL1141
  • Var Energi places size of Countach discovery at 3-13 million bbls in tested segment

February 24th 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending February 24th 2023.

  • Valaris adds backlog to four jackups and one drillship; and preservation stacks one jackup
  • Saipem confirms bareboat charter (BBC) of 7th gen UDW drillship Deep Value Driller
  • Woodside planning Pluto development well
  • Neptune Energy planning to drill an exploration well in the North Sea
  • Aker BP granted a drilling permit for its Ost Frigg Beta prospect
  • Wellesley approved to drill its Carmen prospect
  • Transocean UDW semi Development Driller III spud TotalEnergies’ Krabdagu-3 appraisal well
  • UK fiscal headwinds causing headaches for drilling contractors

February 10th 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending February 10th 2023.

  • BP extends contract for UDW drillship Stena IceMAX to operate in the US Gulf of Mexico for two years
  • UDW drillships Stena Carron and Stena DrillMAX each land a one-year extension with ExxonMobil
  • Petrobras chooses UDW drillship Valaris DS-8
  • Shelf Drilling secures one-year contract with GEMPETCO for jackup Rig 141
  • Six discoveries – four in UK waters, one offshore Suriname, and one offshore Turkey
  • Petroleum Safety Authority Norway grants three consents; two to Aker BP and one to Wellesley
  • Borr Drilling jackup Gunnlod now drilling Sirung-2 well in Block SK405B for PTTEP Sarawak
  • Velesto jackup Naga 3 enroute to Labuan, East Malaysia
  • Carbon footprint reduction; Stepwise and Diamond Offshore team up

February 3rd 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending February 3rd 2023.

  • Transocean bags 910-day contract for stacked UDW drillship Dhirubhai Deepwater KG2
  • Shelf Drilling confirms short extension for jackup Baltic with TotalEnergies, Nigeria
  • MDW semi Stena Spey lands a one-well contract with Ithaca Energy
  • Japan Drilling secures new deal for jackup Hakuryu-11 with Medco Energi
  • Options on two Shelf Drilling jackups not exercised
  • Neptune Energy boosting UK energy security
  • Odfjell-managed MDW semi Deepsea Yantai commenced its first new contract of 2023
  • ExxonMobil names more Guyana exploration wells
  • UDW drillship Fatih drilling Amasra-2 exploration well in Turkish Black Sea
  • Shelf Drilling jackup Ron Tappmeyer commenced ONGC three-year contract
  • DW semi Blackford Dolphin completes five-year SPS workscope

January 27th 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending January 27th 2023.

  • Noble secured work for three drillships in the Gulf of Mexico
  • UDW drillship Noble Gerry De Souza confirmed for minimum nine-months offshore Nigeria
  • Ocyan secured long-term deal with PRIO owner/operator of DW semi Capricorn
  • EOG Resources exercised early termination rights on jackup Noble Regina Allen
  • ExxonMobil made another significant oil discovery offshore Guyana
  • Spud occurred at CGX Energy’s Wei-1 exploration well using UDW semi Noble Discoverer
  • Caspian Drilling MDW semi Heydar Aliyev spudded BP’s SDX-8 exploration well
  • Santos facing more delays to the Barossa gas project
  • PSA granted consent to OMV to drill HPHT Eirik prospect in PL817
  • UDW semi Deepsea Stavanger drilling P-Graben appraisal well for Equinor
  • Vantage Drilling UDW drillship Tungsten Explorer in transit to Namibia

January 20th 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending January 20th 2023.

  • Grinnav-managed UDW semi Frida contracted by Pemex for three-years offshore Mexico
  • Two-year contracts each for Perforadora Mexico jackups; Campeche, Chihuahua, Zacatecas & Tabasco
  • Borr Drilling secured two-well campaign for jackup Ran
  • ONGC awards three-year contract to ADES for jackup Valaris 54
  • One-well option exercised by Tullow/Petrofac for MDW semi Island Innovator
  • Subsidiaries of Shell awards three-well contract to UDW drillship Stena Forth
  • Arena Offshore extended jackup WFD 250 for another 90 days
  • Equinor made a gas discovery in the Norwegian Sea with UDW semi Deepsea Stavanger
  • Equinor received three consents from PSA, Norway
  • 33rd UK licensing round: 115 bids across 258 blocks/part blocks from 76 companies

January 13th 2023

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending January 13th 2023.

  • LOA for MDW semi Blackford Dolphin offshore Nigeria
  • Shelf Drilling secures additional work for two jackups; Trident II and Trident 16
  • Arabian Drilling jackup Arabdrill 150 secures five-year contract
  • Additional scope of work added to GSP jackup Uranus’ contract with Trillion Energy
  • Valaris secured work for three jackups; Valaris Norway, Valaris 121 and Valaris 120
  • TotalEnergies extends UDW drillship Valaris DS-15 offshore Brazil
  • No hydrocarbons for Murphy Oil at its Tulum-1 exploration well offshore Mexico
  • Gas discovered by Shell at its Pensacola well in the UK SNS
  • UDW drillship Stena IceMAX enroute to Gabon
  • UDW semi Noble Discoverer enroute to Guyana
  • 47 Production Licences awarded on the Norwegian Continental Shelf

December 16th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news and rig data for week ending December 16th 2022.

  • MDW semi Deepsea Mira exchanging the cold North Sea for warmer waters
  • 90-day option exercised by Cantium LLC on jackup Valaris 144
  • Diamond Offshore secures 150-day contract with BP for UDW drillship Vela
  • MDW semi COSLInnovator confirmed for work in the UK North Sea to commence Q1 2024
  • Valaris confirms North Sea contracts for three of its heavy duty jackups
  • Jackup Noble Innovator secures one year firm with BP for P&A operations in UK waters
  • QatarGas keeping Gulf Drilling jackup Les-Hat for a further 60 days
  • Contract finalised for UDW drillship Brava Star offshore Brazil
  • HE semi Deepsea Bollsta commences Shell Namibia contract
  • Equinor obtains drilling permit for Heisenberg prospect in PL827 S
  • The NHC gives Pemex approval for a five-well exploration drilling campaign in Sureste Basin

December 9th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending December 9th 2022.

  • Three-year extensions for two ARO Drilling jackups
  • Eni commits to two Shelf Drilling jackups offshore Italy
  • Transocean and Petrobras finalise contracts for two UDW drillships
  • Norwegian Environment Agency received three applications pertaining to drilling offshore Norway
  • Petronas Carigali detects hydrocarbons off Malaysia
  • UDW drillship Noble Viking arrived at PTTEP’s Kikeh field to start development drilling
  • Jackup PV Drilling II getting ready to drill for PHE ONWJ
  • West Hercules returns from Newfoundland to Norway
  • Harsh-environment semi Deepsea Bollsta moving to first well location for Shell
  • Saipem exercised its purchase option for UDW drillship Santorini

December 2nd 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending December 2nd 2022.

  • Equinor exercised priced options on Deepsea Atlantic
  • Pemex exercised options on Gulf Driller jackups
  • Talos Energy extends contract end date of UDW semi Sevan Louisiana
  • Var Energi’s updated well schedule sees West Phoenix operating longer
  • Equnior received consent to drill Heisenberg prospect (35/10-9) in PL827 S
  • Discovery offshore Congo for Perenco
  • Dry hole for APA Corp in Block 58 offshore Suriname
  • Jackup Enterprise has kicked off operations for Renaissance Offshore
  • Denmark’s Danish Underground Consortium approves infill wells in the Halfdan field
  • Santos loses court appeal for Barossa gas project

November 25th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 25th 2022.

  • Jackup Shelf Drilling Tenacious extended by Cabinda Gulf offshore Angola
  • UDW drillship Capella contracted for a four-well plus options contract
  • Jackup Valaris 247 secures work with Perenco in Southern North Sea
  • One more well for MDW semi Essar Wildcat for PT Pertamina Hulu Energi
  • Odfjell Drilling posts positive Q3 2022 results
  • TPAO kicks off exploration drilling in Turkish Black Sea
  • Jackup Noble Resilient spuds Shell’s high-impact exploration well Pensacola
  • Karoon Energy completes drilling of PAT-1 and PAT-2 wells offshore Brazil
  • Noble jackup gearing up for Project Greensand
  • Santos’ Barossa gas project remains in limbo

November 18th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 18th 2022.

  • Shelf Drilling jackup Harvey H Ward awarded a five-year firm plus options contract
  • Saudi Aramco secures two more Saipem jackups
  • Saudi Aramco exercises option on Saipem-managed jackup Sea Lion
  • Saipem confirms two contracts for UDW drillship Saipem 12000
  • Eni exercises option on jackup Natt
  • Borr Drilling jackup Gunnlod awarded a contract offshore Southeast Asia
  • UDW semi West Hercules confirmed for ExxonMobil Canada contract
  • Jackup Noble Resilient moved from The Netherlands to UK SNS to drill for Shell
  • Borr Drilling jackup Saga offshore Brunei to commence four-year contract with BSP
  • Neptune Energy advised the Calypso exploration well in the Norwegian Sea contains hydrocarbons

November 11th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 11th 2022.

  • Diamond Offshore finalises contract with Petrobras
  • Diamond Offshore reports contract drilling revenue increase in Q3 2022
  • Shelf Drilling reports net loss during Q3 2022
  • Finder Energy to Farm-out Interest in three UK licences to Dana Petroleum
  • Energean makes commercial gas discovery off Israel
  • Two jackups due to head to the Middle East have been renamed
  • Equinor and partners postpone FID on Wisting development
  • Equinor’s Newfoundland exploration well completed
  • Saipem UDW semi Scarabeo 8 cleared to drill in PL867 and PL1141
  • Saudi rig construction design contract awarded to Zentech

November 4th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 4th 2022.

  • Contract award for jackup Valaris 123
  • BP exercised 14-day option on jackup Valaris Norway
  • INEOS awards North Sea contract to Noble Drilling
  • TotalEnergies extends Noble Interceptor contract
  • Azule Energy awards a 12-well contract offshore Angola to Seadrill
  • Jackup Valaris 249 going slightly longer with OMV New Zealand
  • PetroGulf Egypt allows six-month option to lapse
  • Drilling operations commence at Neptune Energy’s Calypso exploration well
  • Jackup Noble Tom Prosser drilling Spartan-2 well for Santos
  • MODU relocations

October 28th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 28th 2022.

  • Island Drilling inks contract with Dana Petroleum
  • PV Drilling secures work for two jackups
  • Saudi Aramco contracts three COSL jackups
  • Jackup Al Jassra extended for 2½ years
  • ExxonMobil designates rig for Fangtooth SE-1 appraisal well
  • UDW semi Deepsea Stavanger drilling in PL124
  • NPD approves drilling permit for Neptune Energy’s Calypso prospect
  • The world’s first 8th gen drillship commences maiden contract
  • MODU relocations

October 21st 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 21st 2022.

  • Pemex hands out three-year contracts for five jackups
  • Petrobras extends Ocyan UDW drillship Norbe VIII
  • Jackup Enterprise 351 runs longer with Cox Operating
  • Neptune Energy obtains consent to drill Calypso prospect
  • MDW semi Stena Don leaves sheltered water location and commences next contract
  • UDW semi SSV Catarina moves to Eni’s East Sepinggan location
  • Panoro Energy farms-in to Block S, Equatorial Guinea
  • Petrogas taps into two North Sea assets
  • MODU arrives at the relocation destination and two units commence relocations

October 14th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 14th 2022.

  • ADNOC Offshore awards a $1.53 billion contract to ADNOC Drilling
  • Jackup Shelf Drilling Victory scoops two-year contract
  • ADNOC Offshore awards a contract worth $980 million
  • Petrobras awards contracts for seven units offshore Brazil
  • Two-well contract extension for MDW semi Deepsea Yantai
  • Equinor exercises option on DW semi Transocean Spitsbergen
  • Harbour Energy exercises a 100-day option for MDW semi Paul B Loyd Jr
  • Transocean UDW semi Development Driller III awarded a one-well plus options contract
  • Transocean UDW drillship Discoverer Inspiration to continue with Hess until March 2023
  • Four rigs relocating this week

September 23rd 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending September 23rd 2022.

  • UDW drillship Stena IceMAX awarded a two-well campaign offshore Gabon by CNOOC
  • Jackup Aras Driller contract extended by a further 90 days
  • Neptune Energy awards 12-month P&A campaign to jackup Well-Safe Protector
  • Odfjell Drilling Secures two contracts for MDW semi Deepsea Yantai
  • UDW semi Transocean Norge scoops 17-well contract for operators OMV & Wintershall
  • Jackup Maersk Resolve secures INEOS contract in the Danish sector
  • TotalEnergies exercises one-well option for UDW drillship Maersk Valiant offshore Suriname
  • Trillion Energy kicks off Turkish drilling with GSP’s jackup Uranus
  • Jackup Maersk Resilient remains a little longer with NAM offshore The Netherlands
  • MDW semi Stena Don spuds Serenity appraisal well
  • UDW HE semi West Hercules to re-spud Equinor’s Sitka exploration well
  • Four rigs relocating from current regions
  • Jackup Valaris 123 inshore Dundee

September 9th 2022

Paul Ezekiel presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending September 9th 2022.

  • Noble Drilling reports that the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has completed its review of Noble’s proposed merger with Maersk Drilling
  • Shell has extended its contract with Maersk Drilling to secure ultra-deepwater drillship Maersk Voyager for additional work
  • Eni has submitted an Environmental Plan with Australian energy regulator NOPSEMA to drill two additional wells plus perform a workover at its Blacktip field
  • Sapura Energy’s tender-assist barge Sapura T-11 has arrived in the Gulf of Thailand. The rig is scheduled to commence its five-year contract with PTTEP on 15 September
  • Mid-water semisub Shen Lan Tan Suo is scheduled to depart Keppel FELS in Singapore shortly for Myanmar
  • The drilling campaign for Enquest Malaysia began Following the mobilization of Sapura Energy’s tender-assist semi Sapura Pelaut  to the Seligi-C satellite platform
  • Sapura Energy tender-assist rig Sapura T-9 commenced operations with ExxonMobil Malaysia (EMEPMI) around late August
  • Jackup PV Drilling VI will complete its contract with VietsovPetro (VSP) during the coming week and be handed over to Premier Oil (Harbour Energy) around the middle of September
  • Mubadala Petroleum has changed its name to Mubadala Energy
  • The removal of the wreck of jackup Naga 7 began around the third week of August

August 26th 2022

Teresa Wilkie presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending August 26th 2022.

  • Deepsea Bollsta to work for Shell Namibia
  • Deepsea Stavanger awarded 5-year deal with Aker BP
  • Eni Vietnam searching for DP3 Floater
  • Somoil Planning Angolan workover and exploration campaign
  • Equinor tendering for three North Sea semis
  • Noble Gerry De Souza Hits hydrocarbons at Baja-1 well
  • Tungsten Explorer drills gas discovery offshore Cyprus
  • Maersk Drilling investigating recycling options for Maersk Explorer
  • ADNOC Drilling completes purchase of SMS Faith and SMS Mariam

July 29th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending July 29th 2022.

  • Jackup WFD 250 contract extended
  • MDW semi Paul B Loyd Jr secures new contract in the North Sea
  • MDW drillship Deep Venture (ex Valentin Shashin) contracted by Sacgasco
  • UDW drillship Deepwater Mykonos secures a 435 day contract plus options
  • Petrobras extends Ocyan UDW drillship Norbe VIII Contract
  • Contract Extension for jackup Perro Negro 4
  • Eni exercises one-year extension on UDW drillship Saipem 10000
  • ONGC awards three-year contract to Shelf Drilling jackup C E Thornton
  • UK CMA says sale of five jackups should clear the way for proposed Noble/Maersk merger
  • Serica Energy declines second take-over bid
  • CNOOC purchases interest owned in Yacheng 13-1 field
  • Borr Drilling jackup Prospector 5 stacking

July 15th 2022

Paul Ezekiel presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending July 15th 2022.

  • Borr Drilling has reported that they have received a binding letter of award from Mubadala Petroleum for its 350 ft jackup Mist
  • Saipem semis Scarabeo 9 and Scarabeo 5 will now continue operations offshore Angola with Eni into mid and early August, respectively
  • Northern Offshore is reported to have signed a new contract with Eni for jackup Energy Emerger
  • Eni has issued a combined Expression of Interest for a floater to cover drilling campaigns in two different countries
  • Beach Energy is reportedly close to making a decision on the jackup tender issued late 2021. The workscope is to drill the Yolla-7 infill which is at the Yolla-A platform
  • Heavylift Vessel GPO Grace departed from in Subic Bay, Philippines on 08 July and is currently transporting the Admarine 690 (ex-Valaris 113) and Admarine 692 (ex-Valaris 114) to the Middle East
  • UK Based Harbour Energy announced that it has completed drilling of the Timpan-1 exploration well, located 150km offshore Indonesia
  • Diamond Offshore mid-water semi Ocean Onyx has completed the work for Beach Energy
  • Vantage Drilling, are reactivating the ultra-deepwater drillship Polaris
  • Shelf Drilling has announced that one of it’s wholly owned subsidiaries has taken delivery of the jack up Deep Driller 7 and it has been renamed Shelf Drilling Victory

July 1st 2022

Terry Childs presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending July 1st 2022.

  • Whitefleet Drilling jackup WFD300 has been retired
  • Stenna Forth has departed Spain for Canadian waters for ExxonMobil
  • Aker BP gets consent for well intervention on Valhall Flank Nord field with Maersk Integrator
  • Shell Drilling jackup Adrian-1 has it’s contract extended by one well
  • Saudi Aramco has extended contracts for 3 jackups
  • Shen Lan Ten Zhou has yet to leave the shipyard
  • Borr Drilling has signed an LoA for the sale of three jackups
  • Brunei Shell Petroleum in the final stages of selection for a second rig
  • SEMCORP Marine has delivered the Deepwater Atlas drillship. Mobilisation to the GoM will begin soon.

June 3rd 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending June 3rd 2022.

  • UDW drillship Valaris DS-11; contract termination
  • UDW drillship Polaris; ONGC contract award offshore India
  • MDW semi Stena Don to be utilised at i3 Energy’s Senerity appraisal well
  • Jackup PV Drilling VI; VSP contract imminent
  • Neptune Energy obtains permission for exploration drilling
  • ConocoPhillips’ Bounty prospect gains consent
  • Aker BP makes a minor oil and gas discovery
  • VAALCO reports successful drilling offshore Gabon
  • Shell’s Jackdaw development gets the green light
  • Jackup Noble Houston Colbert moving to Qatar

July 1st 2022

Terry Childs presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending July 1st 2022.

  • Whitefleet Drilling jackup WFD300 has been retired
  • Stenna Forth has departed Spain for Canadian waters for ExxonMobil
  • Aker BP gets consent for well intervention on Valhall Flank Nord field with Maersk Integrator
  • Shell Drilling jackup Adrian-1 has it’s contract extended by one well
  • Saudi Aramco has extended contracts for 3 jackups
  • Shen Lan Ten Zhou has yet to leave the shipyard
  • Borr Drilling has signed an LoA for the sale of three jackups
  • Brunei Shell Petroleum in the final stages of selection for a second rig
  • SEMCORP Marine has delivered the Deepwater Atlas drillship. Mobilisation to the GoM will begin soon.

June 3rd 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending June 3rd 2022.

  • UDW drillship Valaris DS-11; contract termination
  • UDW drillship Polaris; ONGC contract award offshore India
  • MDW semi Stena Don to be utilised at i3 Energy’s Senerity appraisal well
  • Jackup PV Drilling VI; VSP contract imminent
  • Neptune Energy obtains permission for exploration drilling
  • ConocoPhillips’ Bounty prospect gains consent
  • Aker BP makes a minor oil and gas discovery
  • VAALCO reports successful drilling offshore Gabon
  • Shell’s Jackdaw development gets the green light
  • Jackup Noble Houston Colbert moving to Qatar

May 20th 2022

Paul Ezekiel presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending May 20th 2022.

  • Jackups contracted of committed for work now stands at 382
  • Borr Drilling reports receiving a LoA for Saga
  • Valaris has received a five-year contract for two jackups from Saudi Aramco
  • Pharos Energy will drill two development wells in block 16-1 in the Te Giac Trang field offshore Vietnam
  • Spirit Energy has issued a RfQ for a jackup at its York field in the UK North Sea
  • Eni Australia has issued and EOI for a moored floater at the Kitan Oil field
  • Woodside Australia’s shareholders have voted to approve a proposed merger with BHP
  • Jackup Noble Regina Allen is enroute to Gyuana for a one-well contract for Repsol
  • Pemex has approval from Mexico’s CNH to drill the Popoca-1EXP well
  • Transocean’s Deepwater Nautilus has mobilized from Labuan to Mubadala Petroleum’s first location in BLock SK32 offshore Sarawak
  • Turkish Petroleum’s new ultra-deepwater drillship Cobalt Explorer has arrived in Turkey

May 6th 2022

Teresa Wilkie presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending May 6th 2022.

  • 90-day deal secured for UDW drillship Valaris DS-12 offshore Angola and the Congo with an undisclosed operator.
  • Two new contracts confirmed for jackup Valaris 107 offshore Australia.
  • Two new deals for UDW drillship Noble Globetrotter I offshore Mexico with CNOOC international and Petronas.
  • TotalEnergies secured jackup Noble Sam Hartley to drill its HPHT Isabella well off the UK. Works starts around August, lasting 150 days plus options.
  • Transocean confirmed extensions for UDW drillships Deepwater Skyros and Deepwater Invictus off Angola and the US Gulf of Mexico.
  • Sale of MDW semi WilPhoenix confirmed to Well-Safe for P&A activity. Rig to be renamed Well-Safe Defender.
  • Eni spudded an appraisal well at the Baleine discovery offshore Ivory Coast using UDW drillship Saipem 12000.
  • Diamond Offshore UDW drillship Ocean BlackHawk expected to finish contract with Occidental in US Gulf of Mexico soon, before moving to Senegal for a new deal with Woodside.

April 8th 2022

Kath Gammack presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending April 8th 2022.

  • Shelf Drilling jackup Rig 141; six-month contract with PetroGulf in the Gulf of Suez
  • Borr Drilling jackup Mist; 105-day contract extension offshore Thailand
  • UDW drillship Maersk Voyager; one-year firm multi-country contract with Shell
  • Seadrill UDW semi West Hercules; enroute to Newfoundland, Canada
  • MDW semi Island Innovator departs Norway and heads for UK waters
  • Jackup Noble Tom Prosser commences Apus-1 well
  • Jackup Noble Hans Deul returns to IOG’s Southwark Field
  • UDW drillship Valaris DS-12 completes operations offshore Angola
  • Velesto jackup Naga 2 due to mobilise mid April for Petronas Carigali
  • Borr Drilling jackup Norve; 5-yearly SPS scheduled for August/September
  • Jackup Valaris 67 retired from fleet
  • Contract Novation for UDW drillship Valaris DS-11

March 25th 2022

Paul Ezekiel presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending March 25th 2022.

  • BP exercises option to keep Mad Dog
  • Hibiscus issues a market survey for a jackup in East Malaysia
  • BP announced that it has awarded Agung I and Agung II blocks
  • Petronas has formailised PSC for five blocks offshore Malaysia
  • OGA has rebranded as North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA)
  • Diamond Offshore has been approved to relist on NYSE
  • Deepwater Thalassa is heading to Colombia with Shell
  • Valaris D-4 is on its way to Brazil
  • Valaris DPS-1 should arrive in Damiper, Australia on March 28
  • The Rencong-1X exploration well in Indonesia is expected to cost Repsol and Petronas about US$130 million
  • Forum Ltd. are in the final stages of its selection process for a jackup for its two-well appraisal program

February 25th 2022

Kathleen Gammick presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending February 25th 2022.

  • Trillion Energy contracts GSP jackup Uranus
  • Jackup Valaris 122; one-well option exercised by Shell
  • Jackup Valaris 140; Saudi Aramco new three-year deal
  • UDW DS Santorini arrives US GOM from South Korea to commence Eni 660-day contract
  • Jackup Maersk Integrator approved by PSA for services on Hod B and Valhall Flank South
  • Valaris 249 (ex Valaris Gorilla VII) commences OMV New Zealand drilling campaign
  • DW semi Valaris MS-1 is ready and waiting to commence Western Gas’ one well in June
  • UDW DS West Carina undergoing reactivation, upgrades and SPS in Tenerife
  • Velesto Energy jackup Naga 5 departure from Labuan delayed
  • Jackup Valaris 37 is retired from the fleet
  • Odfjell Drilling taking over management of HE jackup West Linus
  • UDW DS Noble Globetrotter II due to return to work for Shell end February/early March

February 11th 2022

Paul Ezekiel presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending February 11th 2022.

  • Stenna Drilling has confirmed execution of the contract with TotalEnergies for the provision and operation of mid-water semi Stena Spey
  • ONE-Dyas exercised one of the two available options for the continued use of jackup Maersk Resolute
  • Constellation Oil Services has been awarded a one-well contract from Enauta for ultra-deepwater semi Alpha Star for work offshore Brazil
  • Jackup Valaris 107 has been moved to a stacking location offshore Dampier
  • Jackup Noble Tom Prosser arrived at the Pavo-1 well and has begun drilling operations
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Maersk Viking arrived in Labuan about a week ago from Singapore
  • Advanced Energy Systems (ADES) has completed inspections on eight jackups for potential purchase
  • Petrobras has exercised its preferential bidding rights for two pre-salt areas that would have been available in the third permanent offer initiative round in April
  • Norwegian shipping tycoon John Fredriksen has begun the process to take full control of Northern Drilling
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Deepwater Asgard has arrived on location in Green Canyon Block 70 in the US Gulf of Mexico
  • Deepwater semi Transocean Barents has departed the port of Olen and is now enroute to the Ormen Lange field
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Stena IceMAX is scheduled to depart Las Palmas for Israel
  • Market speculation suggests that BHP will not drill two exploration wells in Blocks AE-0092 and AE-0093 offshore Mexico
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Valaris DS-10 has just arrived in Walvis Bay offshore Namibia
  • Jackup Valaris 115 resumed operations for Mubadala Thailand last week after a brief stacking period of about two months

February 4th 2022

Alex Middleton presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending February 4th 2022.

  • PTTEP has issued two invitations to tender
  • Jadestone has filed an Environmental Plan to drill two wells from the Stag Field Central Platform
  • Korea National Oil Corporation has issued a preliminary request for information on the availablity of floaters for their 2023 program
  • Stena Drilling and Petrofac have executed a contract for the provision and operation of deepwater semi-submersible Stena Don
  • Pemex plans to spud the Nuktah-1EXP exploration well in the AE-0164 area in early February
  • Pertamina Hulu Energi North Sumatera is considering terminating the contract for the deepwater semi-submersible Essar Wildcat in Southeast Asia
  • A rig swap in the US Gulf of Mexico will see Seadrill ultra-deepwater semi-submersible Sevan Louisiana undertake a contract previously awarded to ultra-deepwater drillship West Neptune

 

January 14th 2022

Kath Gammack, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending Jaunary 14th 2022.

  • Jackup WFD 250 scores an additional 90 days with Arena Offshore in the US GOM
  • Constellation Oil Services MDW semi Olinda Star awarded 500 day contract with ONGC
  • Seadrill UDW drillship West Saturn moves to ExxonMobil’s Cutthroat-1 location offshore Brazil
  • Petronas Carigali Discovers Gas at Hadrah-1 Wildcat Well in Block SK411
  • Jackup Noble Hans Deul moves off location temporarily due to seabed conditions
  • Eco Atlantic O&G signs MOU to acquire 100% of the Azinam Group
  • UDW newbuild drillship Quenguela off Namibia undergoing sea trials

 

January 7th 2022

Paul Ezekiel, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending Jaunary 7th 2022.

  • EnVen Energy has signed a deal with Transocean to us the ultra-deepwater drillship Discoverer Inspiration for one firm well plus two options in the US Gulf of Mexico
  • Valaris reports that ARO Drilling has been awarded contract extensions from Saudi Aramco
  • Kosmos Energy has signed a deal to take ultra-deep water semi Valaris DPS-5 for a 105-day program in the US Gulf of Mexico
  • Constellation Oil has been awarded a contract from Petrobras for ultra-deepwater semis Gold Star and Lone Star
  • Diamond Offshore has updated its previously announced intention to explore strategic alternatives for the company
  • Carnarvon Energy announced that drilling of the Buffalo-10 well, in the Timor Sea commenced on 31 December 2021
  • Shipping magnate John Fredriksen has increased his ownership in Valaris to 6.2%
  • ExxonMobil reports that it has made two more oil discoveries in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana
  • The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has granted Aker BP consent for exploration drilling in Block 35/4 in PL685 of the North Sea
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Maersk Viking is currently enroute back to Malaysia after completing the Jove Marine-1 exploration well in Block F13 offshore Gabon for PC Gabon
  • Seadrill ultra-deepwater drillship West Carina has departed Sri Lanka and is now enroute to what is believed to be Las Palmas to undergo reactivation and contract preparation for Petrobras
  • Ultra-deep water drillship Valaris DS-16 has arrived in the US Gulf from Las Palmas
  • Exo Atlantic is reported to be looking at drilling a well in its Deepwater Cape Three Points West Offshore block offshore Ghana later this year
  • Petronas Carigali (PCSB) has made a gas discovery at the Hadrah-1 wildcat exploration well in Block SK411, located in the shallow waters off the coast of Sarawak
  • Pertamina Hulu Energi Mahakam (PHEM) reported a discovery offshore Balikpapan, East Kalimantan
  • Borr Drilling jackup Idun has arrived in Kemaman Supply Base and is presently hot stacked

 

December 10th 2021

Alex Middleton, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending December 10th 2021.

  • OMV Norge and Maersk Drilling have entered a one-well firm contract for Maersk Intrepid in the Oswig prospect
  • Petroserv has been awarded a contract to supply rigs 2 and 3 under Lot 2 of the operator’s late 2020 tender
  • Shelf Drilling had its contract for jackup Rig 141 extended for another 60 days
  • Trident Energy will return to Block G offshore Equatorial Guinea in 2022
  • Semisub Shen Lan Tan Suo is now drilling the first well for Medco Energi
  • Harbour Energy now expects start-up of its delayed Tolmount (UK) project in Q1 2022
  • Jackup Noble Tom Prosser has completed its last well in the Timor Sea for Santos
  • UDW semi Valaris DPS-5 has completed a one-well contract for Eni
  • Borr Drilling jackup Groa has departed the port of Limboh and is headed to Qatar

 

December 3rd 2021

Terry Childs, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending December 3rd 2021.

  • A consortium of ExxonMobil (60%) and Qatar Petroleum (40%) has been awarded the exploration rights to Block 5 offshore Cyprus
  • Off Indonesia, only four contractors or their representatives attended the pre-bid meeting held by Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur (PHKT) held on 25 November
  • Shell Australia has requested that bidders for its Shell Crux development drilling campaign extend the validity of their proposals until April 2022
  • Seadrill says that it has now finalized contracts for two UDW drillships to work for Petrobras in the Buzios pre-salt field offshore Brazil
  • It has now been confirmed Lundin Energy has exercised an optional well for the use of UDW semi Deepsea Stavanger (10,000’) to drill a well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS)
  • Transocean UDW drillship Dhirubhai Deepwater KG2 (10,000′) has left its stack location at Johore, West Malaysia and is now headed to Brunei

 

November 26th 2021

Kath Gammack, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 26th 2021.

  • Neptune Energy extends MDW semi Deepsea Yantai contract by three wells
  • Evergreen contracts up for renewal; 39 COSL units working for CNOOC offshore China
  • ONGC awards three-year contract to ADES jackup Admarine VIII
  • MDW semi Stena Don enroute to Morocco for Chariot Oil & Gas
  • Lukoil strikes oil in Block 12 offshore Mexico
  • Jackup Maersk Highlander to stack when a favourable weather window allows
  • UOG granted two-year extension licence extension by Jamaican government
  • IOG Southwark drilling to commence 1st week of December – weather permitting

 

November 19th 2021

Paul Ezekiel, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 19th 2021.

  • ExxonMobil has awarded Stena Offshore a contract to drill one well offshore Eastern Canada
  • Aban Offshore jackup Aban VIII has been selected to undertake a three-year contract for ONGC offshore India
  • Borr Drilling jackup rig Mist has commenced its seven-month firm plus five-month option charter with PTTEP Thailand
  • Velesto Energy jackup Naga 5 is expected to be released by Petronas Carigali (PCSB) within the first half of December
  • APA Corp reports that it has completed flow testing at the Sapakara South-1 appraisal well in Block 58 offshore Suriname
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Stena IceMAX arrived on location at the Bambo-1 exploration well on 12 November and has successfully spudded the well
  • Borr Drilling jackup Prospector 1 mobilized over the weekend to Block Q11B to begin the final well of its contract with Kistos
  • Awilco is understood to have made the decision to scrap mid-water semi WilHunter
  • Aban Offshore has confirmed the sale of four of its units to Last Voyage DMCC for scrapping
  • TotalEnergies says it will likely drill additional infill wells at the Egina field in OML 130 offshore Nigeria in 2022
  • Tullow Oil says it will withdraw from Suriname after disappointing exploration results
  • After its November 2019 attempted sale was canceled, Seven Group Holdings has again put up for sale its 15% interest in the Shell-operated Crux gas discovery

 

November 12th 2021

Alex Middleton, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 12th 2021.

  • Chevron Indonesia issues a market survey for a deepwater floater
  • Mauritius is advancing legislation to explore drilling in the area for the first time in 45 years
  • Quarter North Energy awards Noble Drilling a contract for UDW drillship Noble Faye Kozack
  • Wintershall will use Borr Drilling jackup Ran, for its Block 30 program off Mexico
  • Valaris 122 will shut-in Shearwater in the North Sea, when presented with a suitable weather window
  • ExxonMobil has found traces of oil in its Tita-1 exploration well in the Santos Basin, Brazil
  • Diamond Offshore reports UDW semi Ocean Monarch will complete its contract with POSCO International in March 2022
  • UDW drillship Saipem 12000 completed work for Eni in the Coral South field offshore Mozambique. Next tender is still outstanding

 

November 5th 2021

Terry Childs, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending November 5th 2021.

You can also sign up to join the RigLogix team for the Offshore Rig Outlook webinar on 10th November.
Click here to register.

  • Pascoe International signs first ever production sharing contract
  • Borr Drilling jackup Gunnlod on last well for PTTEP Sarawak
  • Shell plans to drill up to four exploration wells in Block 42 offshore Suriname
  • Wintershall Dea, Nova drilling kicks off for the second time
  • Harbour Energy extends contract for jackup Maersk Innovator
  • Noble UDW Noble Faye Kozak arrives in Gulf of Mexico
  • UDW Stena IceMAX arrives in Las Palmas before departing for Gambia

 

October 29th 2021

Kath Gammack, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 29th 2021.

You can also sign up to join the RigLogix team for the Offshore Rig Outlook webinar on 10th November.
Click here to register.

  • Unsuccessful commercial negotiations for Pertamina’s ONWJ jackup tender; new tender may be forthcoming
  • Short-term lay up in Esbjerg for Maersk Resolute; future contract on the cards with possibly ONE-Dyas
  • Jackup Valaris Gorilla VII’s new destination around two months away
  • UDW drillship Noble Faye Kozack heading back to US Gulf of Mexico for Murphy Oil and First EnVen Energy
  • UDW drillship Samsung Santorini – possible start delay for Eni’s US GOM 660-day campaign
  • Equinor strikes oil at the Egyptian Vulture exploration well; further appraisal required
  • Rig attrition – Valaris retires two jackups
  • BW Energy converting jackup Hibiscus Alpha to a MOPU for use offshore Gabon
  • BW Energy is reported to be purchasing Aquadrill’s UDW semi Leo for US$14M

October 22nd 2021

Paul Ezekiel, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 22nd 2021.

You can also sign up to join the RigLogix team for the Offshore Rig Outlook webinar on 10th November.
Click here to register.

  • Valaris reports that it has been awarded a contract from Petrobras for cold stacked ultra-deepwater drillship Valaris DS-4
  • Dana Petroleum has awarded a one firm well plus options contract to Island Drilling for the provision and operation of mid-water semi, Island Innovator
  • Cairn Energy has awarded Shelf Drilling a contract to take the 300ft jackup Compact Driller for four wells offshore India
  • The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that seven offshore blocks in a disputed area be handed back to Somalia
  • Carnarvon Petroleum has been awarded two shallow-water blocks offshore Western Australia
  • Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has reduced its planned $1.3 billion purchase of a 37% interest in the Deepwater Tano/Cape Three Points block down to $200 million and a 30% stake in the fields
  • BHP hits hydrocarbons with the first of two Calypso field gas appraisal wells in Block TTDAA 14 offshore Trinidad and Tobago
  • Jackup Valaris 121 has just spud a High Pressure & High Temperature well at the Dunnottar prospect for Habour Energy
  • The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has issued a drilling permit to Aker BP for drilling of wildcat well 24/12-7
  • Market sources now are reporting that Japan Drilling jackup Hakuryu-12 will complete its contract for North Oil in November
  • Ultra-deepwater drillship Noble Fay Kozack completed work offshore Mexico for Petronas
  • TotalEnergies is reportedly looking to drill new development wells at its Kaombo South project
  • Velesto Energy jackup Naga 6 will be deployed to the work at the Bokor Platform (BODP-F), offshore Sarawak
  • Borr Drilling jackup Gunnlod is scheduled to complete its current drilling program with PTTEP Mduring the first half of November
  • South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DMSE) has received notification from West Libra Inc, cancelling the resale contract for the Ultra-deepwater drillship West Libra

October 15th 2021

Alex Middleton, presents the roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 15th, 2021, including:

  • India – only three companies bid on 21 available blocks in open acreage round six
  • Chevron signs production sharing contract with Staatsolie
  • UDW Stena IceMAX completes Repsol contract, heads towards Gambia
  • Jackup Valaris EXLII completes work for Fieldwood departs for , heads to GoM before East Cameroon
  • Jackup Noble Regina Allen, completes work in block 3A for BHP Offshore Trinidad, now headng to stacked location
  • Advanced Energy Services jackup Admarine 657, arrives in Dubai for 4-6 month maintenance programme and SPS
  • Vår Energi makes discovery with Rødhette exploration well offshore Norway, drilled by the Saipem UDW semi Scarabeo 8
  • Jackup COSL Boss, schedule to finish three-well contract with Saka Energi in late November

You can also sign up to join the RigLogix team for the Offshore Rig Outlook webinar on 10th November. Click here to register.

October 8th 2021

Terry Childs, presents a 10-minute audio roundup of some of the week’s key offshore rig news for week ending October 8th, 2021, including:

  • Lease Sale Coming For US Gulf
  • Tower Resources shortlists two jackups for NJOM-3 appraisal well
  • CP Latina receives extensions for Mexico jackups
  • Ithaca awards contract to COSL Drilling
  • SeaDrill UDW drillship arrives in Camps Basin Block BC-10 offshore Brazil
  • UDW drillship Maersk Voyager has arrived on location in Block 48 offshore Angola
  • Jackup Maersk Resolute (350′-IC) is nears the end of its contract offshore the Netherlands with Dana Petroleum
  • Awilco Drilling MDW semi WilPhoenix (1,200′) is nearing completion of Ithaca Energy’s Fotla well (22/01b-12)
  • Japan Drilling MDW semi Hakuryu-5 (1,500′) has completes eight firm wells with PTTEP Myanmar
  • Contract pending for equipment recovery of Dynamic Drilling jackup Valiant Driller (300′-IC)
  • DW commencing its next contract in Q1 2022 when it will drill at the Sasanof prospect for Western Gas

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