Vantage Drilling Co. (NYSE Amex: VTG) has agreed to acquire the ultra-deepwater drillship Dragonquest from Valencia Drilling Corp. for $164 million.

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (NYSE:DO) has agreed to sell its Ocean Columbia jackup drilling rig to Hercules Offshore Inc. (NASDAQ:HERO) for $40 million.

SEACOR Marine LLC has agreed to purchase from Superior Energy Services LLC 18 liftboats for $134 million plus working capital.

Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. (NYSE: HLX) will proceed with a newbuild semisubmersible well intervention vessel.

McDermott International, Inc. says it has signed a 10-year frame agreement with Helix Subsea Construction, Inc. for spool base services in the Gulf of Mexico.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. has contracted the newbuild ENSCO 8506 ultra-deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig to work in the US Gulf of Mexico for 30 months at a day rate of $530,000, plus adjustments.

Shell and Noble Corp. have brought the Noble Bully 1 drillship into the Gulf of Mexico from Singapore to complete commissioning and acceptance testing.

DNV reports the Dockwise Vanguard heavy-lift vessel will be the first such semisubmersible vessel built under DNV's new class rules for this type of ship.

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems has been selected to provide four Cat 3516C Diesel Electric Propulsion (DEP) generator sets for the SV-310 multi-purpose offshore construction and supply vessel (MPSV) for Harvey Gulf International.