Rig roundup: Equinor extends West Saturn, Oman drilling kicks off, ARO-Allrig align in Saudi, GMS expands fleet
Equinor keeps West Saturn drillship in Brazil
Equinor Brasil Energia has extended its contract with Seadrill for the West Saturn ultradeepwater drillship.
The exercised option, valued at $114 million, will keep the vessel on hire to Equinor offshore Brazil through October 2027. The engagement started in 2022.
Rex signs jackup for drilling offshore Oman
Offshore Oman, Masirah Oil’s parent company Rex Oman has contracted the Energy Emerger jackup, operated by Northern Offshore Drilling Operations, for development drilling.
Starting in March, the rig will drill three wells on the Yumna Field in offshore Block 50.
Masirah general manager Mike Hopkinson said the wells would increase oil flow rates and extend the field’s productive lifespan.
ARO, Allrig ink MoU for Saudi Arabia work
ARO Drilling inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Allrig on Jan. 13 at the recent International Petroleum Technology Conference.
The agreement establishes a collaborative framework with a focus on localization in the Saudi Arabia and commitment to fostering long-term collaborations and partnerships. The work scope includes the provision of manufacturing, inspection, remediation and maintenance services, as well as considering newbuild opportunities.
Gulf Marine adds vessel, secures contract extensions
Gulf Marine Services, a provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels (SESVs), has entered into an agreement to acquire a new mid-class vessel, according to a Jan. 26 news release. The vessel has been earmarked for a number of identified commercial opportunities.
A couple days later, the company announced it has received a variation order from a major national oil company in the Middle East for extension to an existing contract for two of its vessels, to provide for up to an additional six years of contract duration across the two vessels, including optional periods. Gulf Marine said its backlog now stands at US$0.7 billion.
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About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.