Noble reactivating three drilling rigs

March 12, 2021
Noble Corp. has issued an update on its offshore drilling rig fleet.

Offshore staff

SUGAR LAND, Texas Noble Corp. has issued an update on its offshore drilling rig fleet.                

Total has awarded the jackup Noble Sam Turner a two-year contract offshore Denmark. It is expected to start this month and end in early March 2023. The contract includes a 12-month option. The rig has been warm-stacked in the UK.

Premier Oil has awarded the semisubmersible Noble Clyde Boudreau a 180-day contract offshore Indonesia. It is expected to start in early July 2021 and end in early November 2021. The rig has been warm-stacked in Malaysia since August 2020.

Santos has awarded the jackup Noble Tom Prosser an estimated 270-day contract offshore Timor-Leste/Australia. The contract is expected to begin in May 2021 and end in January 2022. The rig has been warm-stacked in Australia since early November 2020.

ExxonMobil has transferred contracted term among the drillships working under the commercial enabling agreement offshore Guyana. This solidifies the contract coverage for the Noble Tom Madden to the end of 2027, the Noble Bob Douglas and Noble Don Taylor to the end of 2022, and the Noble Sam Croft to the end of 2021.

IOG has awarded the jackup Noble Hans Deul a 440-day contract in the UK southern North Sea. The contract is expected to start in early April 2021 and end in early May 2022. The contract is for five firm well and two one-well options.

Saudi Aramco has rescinded the 12-month suspension notice for the jackup Noble Roger Lewis. It has replaced it with an approximately six-week standby period for well planning and rig maintenance. The rig worked until mid-February 2021 when the standby period began. The contract is expected to end in March 2022.

Also, Aramco and the company have agreed to adjust the day rate for the Noble Roger Lewis and Noble Scott Marks. From Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2021, the day rate has been adjusted to $139,000 while drilling for gas and $90,000 while drilling for oil. After which time the day rate is scheduled to return to $159,000.

The jackup Noble Regina Allen’s contract with BHP offshore Trinidad and Tobago is expected to end in early June 2021. The rig was on standby at a reduced day rate during October and November 2020.

CNOOC has exercised the second well option for the jackup Noble Sam Hartley’s contract in the UK North Sea. Noble said the remaining well options have expired.

The jackup Noble Lloyd Noble’s contract with Equinor offshore Norway is expected to start in July 2021 and end in March 2022.

Robert W. Eifler, president and CEO of Noble, said: “While our industry continues to face significant challenges, we are starting to see an increase in tender activity in various markets and expect further improvements to the extent operators remain confident in forward oil and gas prices.”

03/12/2021