Keppel FELS delivers 9th jackup for ENSCO

Offshore staff

SINGAPORE -- Keppel FELS Ltd. has delivered the Ensco 108, its ninth jackup rig for Ensco International Inc. Delivery was made on schedule, within budget and with no lost time incidents, Keppel says.

"Ensco has been a tremendous supporter of our proprietary designs, andEnsco 108 is the seventh consecutive rig of the premium KFELS design that we have been commissioned to build since 1999. We are very honored that Ensco has entrusted us time and again with delivering some of the most advanced premium offshore rigs in their fleet," Choo Chiau Beng, chairman and CEO of Keppel Offshore & Marine says.

TheEnsco 108 is built to Keppel's proprietary KFELS B Class jackup design. The rig is expected to leave the yard in April en route to her maiden assignment for BP offshore Indonesia.

Ensco also has contracted Keppel FELS to build three new ultra deepwater semisubmersibles based on Ensco's proprietary Ensco 8500 Series design.

"The deepwater market is growing in importance to Ensco, and we are actively looking for additional opportunities to increase our presence in this domain" Dan Rabun, president and CEO of Ensco, says.

"Our three ENSCO 8500 Series semis are designed to drill in water depths of up to 8,500 ft (2,591 m) and readily can be extended to 10,000 ft (3,048 m). They will provide a cost-effective deepwater drilling solution for our customers and expand Ensco's deepwater capabilities.

Keppel FELS expects to deliver theEnsco 8500 and Ensco 8501 ultra deepwater semisubmersibles in 2Q 2008 and 1Q 2009. Both rigs are being built against firm multi-customer, long-term drilling contracts. The Ensco 8502, the third Ensco 8500 Series rig, is scheduled for delivery in late 2009.

3/30/2007