Noble to build second ultra-deepwater drillship

Offshore staff

ZUG, Switzerland – Noble Corp. has signed contracts with STX Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. of South Korea and Huisman Equipment B.V. for construction of an ultra-deepwater dynamically positioned drillship.

The Noble Globetrotter II is scheduled to begin construction in 2013, following the first Globetrotter-class rig delivery in 2011. Cost for the new drillship is estimated at $550 million.

Noble says the Noble Globetrotter II will measure 620 ft (189 m) long and 105 ft (32 m) wide and will have Huisman's multi-purpose tower design, capable of conducting both drilling and pipe assembly operations contemporaneously. The drillship will be capable of drilling to a vertical depth of 40,000 ft (12,192 m) and will feature DP-3 station-keeping ability, 18,000 tons (16,329 metric tons) of variable deck load, and quarters for 180 personnel.

Both of these new Noble vessels are contracted to Shell under 10-year terms connected to Noble’s acquisition of FDR Holdings.


08/10/2010