Semisub ENSCO 8501 begins GoM operations

Oct. 16, 2009
The semisub ENSCO 8501 has begun work in the Gulf of Mexico under a three-and-a-half-year contract with Nexen and Noble Energy.

Offshore staff

DALLAS -- The semisub ENSCO 8501 has begun work in the Gulf of Mexico under a three-and-a-half-year contract with Nexen and Noble Energy.

The vessel features a 35,000-ft (10,668-m) nominal rated drilling depth, 8,000 tons (7,257 metric tons) of variable deck load, and an open layout for subsea completion activities.

ENSCO 8502 and ENSCO 8503 are scheduled for delivery in 1Q and 4Q 2010, respectively. Those vessels are under two-year contracts for operations in the GoM. ENSCO 8504 is scheduled for delivery in 2011. ENSCO 8505 and ENSCO 8506 are scheduled for delivery in 2012, Ensco International says.

10/16/2009