US & Gulf of Mexico Rigs/Vessels News

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.

Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. has signed contracts for construction of 16 high-specification offshore supply vessels following the recent announcement of its $720-million newbuild program.

Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. says its board of directors has approved plans to build 16 new U.S.-flagged 300 Class DP-2 offshore supply vessels.

EMAS say that its Lewek EMAS FPSO has received first oil from the Chim Sáo project offshore Vietnam.

The need to discover new hydrocarbon reserves is pushing frontier exploration into the world's more remote and challenging regions.

Following the Macondo incident in the Gulf of Mexico and the subsequent new regulations in both the US and international arenas, the oil and gas industry has responded with a full spectrum of new equipment and capabilities for handling offshore spills or blowouts. A number of new well control/well containment groups have been formed, and they have been busy advancing their plans, technologies and services for the consideration of offshore operators and developers. Some of the key groups are described below.

Keppel AmFELS has completed the delivery of its fourth EXL jackup rig to a subsidiary of Rowan Companies, Inc. four months ahead of schedule and within budget.

The supply of ultra deepwater rigs (up to 7,500 ft, or 2,286 m, water depth) continues to grow, according to Seadrill, with the number of newbuild orders placed since last October increasing to 37.

The Marine Spill Response Corp. has contracted with Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. to supply two U.S.-flag multi-purpose support vessels for spill response in the Gulf of Mexico.

Gulmar Offshore Ltd. says its Gulmar Condor DP-2 construction vessel is on its way from the Gulf of Mexico to Port Gentil, Gabon.

The US Coast Guard has established additional risk-based safety oversight for foreign-flagged MODUs operating on the US continental shelf.

S-E-A, Ltd. has named Capt. Christopher Karentz as senior maritime consultant.

Dockwise has won transportation contracts with a combined value of $42 million, all for execution in the next three months.

EBI Mechanical Systems has partnered with Bosch Rexroth’s Hägglunds Drives to develop a 430 kip jacking drive.

Floatel International has awarded Keppel FELS a $260-million contract to build a new accommodation semisubmersible for delivery early in 2014.