Ensco Plc announced that a subsidiary of the company has purchased Diamond Offshore's Ocean Shield jack up drilling rig, a KFELS Super B Class design, delivered in 2008. The rig will be renamed ENSCO 109.
The unique design includes two million pound hoisting capacity, a 15,000 PSI high pressure BOP and nearly 5,000 bbls of liquid mud capacity that make ENSCO 109 ideally suited to drill deep gas wells, a high growth area in the premium jack up market. The design also permits drilling in water depths up to 350' to a total depth of 35,000'. Industries wide, all of the KFELS Super B Class jack ups are contracted.
Mr Dan Rabun chairman, president & CEO of Ensco Plc said that "The Middle East and Southeast Asia, in particular, are regions where we believe customers will require more high-spec, deep gas jack up rigs. ENSCO 109 will address this growing need and is expected to command higher day rates than standard duty jack ups."
Mr Rabun added that "Purchasing ENSCO 109 is part of our long-established strategy of high-grading our fleet by investing in newer equipment. We will continue to look for opportunities to acquire premium offshore rigs that can generate favorable returns for our shareholders."
ENSCO 109 was purchased with available cash for approximately USD 186 million. The Company will assume the current drilling contract for the rig with Apache Corporation in Australia that extends through May 2011.
The rig was built in Keppel FELS shipyard in Singapore where Ensco's four remaining ENSCO 8500 Series(R) ultra deepwater semi submersible drilling rigs are being constructed.
Ensco plc brings energy to the world as a global provider of offshore drilling services to the petroleum industry. With a fleet of ultra deepwater semi submersible and premium jack up drilling rigs, Ensco serves customers with high quality equipment, a well trained workforce and a strong record of safety and reliability.
http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/Ensco_Plc_acquires_jack_up_drilling_rig_from_Diamond_Offshore/154989.html
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