Offshore staff
ZUG, Switzerland – Noble Corp. has exercised an option with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. for construction of a fourth ultra-deepwater drillship. Delivery is expected in the second half of 2014.
The $630-million vessel will be based on Hyundai’s Gusto P10000 design and will be equipped to work in waters to 10,000 ft (3,048 m) deep. Noble says it will be DP-3 equipped and can handle two BOP systems and multiple parallel activities.
"We continue to see an increase in deepwater demand, both near and longer-term," said David W. Williams, chairman, president and CEO, Noble Corp.
"This view is bolstered not only by geologic successes in the traditional regions offshore the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, but also by emerging regions offshore West Africa, Indonesia, the Black Sea, India and eastern Africa.”
The vessel is uncontracted at this time.
09/01/2011
