Swiss offshore drilling giant Transocean has secured multi-million dollar new/renewal contracts for seven floating rigs, including four drillships and three semi-submersibles, in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Norway, Australia and other waters.
According to Transocean’s latest fleet status report, the cumulative backlog of two new contracts and six extensions signed in the second quarter of 2024 amounted to approximately US$656 million, and as of July 24, 2024, the company’s total backlog stood at US$8.8 billion.
Contracts related to 4 drillships
Transocean’s Deepwater Atlas, the world’s first Generation VIII drillship, has signed two new multi-well contracts with Beacon Offshore Energy for a two-well oil project with a January 2027 deadline in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The first contract is a four-well drilling contract at a daily rate of $505,000, or potentially three wells at the same daily rate, and the second is a two-well drilling contract at a daily rate of $580,000, or potentially two 20K wells at a daily rate of $650,000.
“The Deepwater Atlas, which was completed and delivered in 2022, has a capacity of 220 people, can operate in 12,000 feet of water, has a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet, and is equipped with a 20,000 psi well control system.
The drillship “Deepwater Asgard” has signed a 365-day contract extension with Hess to remain deployed in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico at a daily rate of $515,000 through June 2026. The drillship, which was completed and delivered in 2014, is an ultra-deepwater, dual-operator DSME 12000 design that can accommodate up to 200 people and can operate in 12,000 feet of water with a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet.
The drillship “Deepwater Mykonos” has been awarded a 279-day option contract by Petrobras at a daily rate of $366,000, following an October 2023 start date. Built and delivered in 2011, the ship is an enhanced Samsung 10,000 design and has a 205-person capacity to operate in 10,000 feet of water with a maximum drilling depth of 35,000 feet.
Transocean has signed a 40-day contract extension with an undisclosed client for the drillship Deepwater Invictus, which will continue to provide services in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The vessel, which was completed and delivered in 2014, is an ultra-deepwater dual-operator DSME 12000 design with a 200-person capacity and can operate in 12,000 feet of water with a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet.
Contracts related to 3 semi-submersible drilling rigs
Transocean’s semi-submersible drilling rig “Transocean Norge” has renewed a three-well drilling contract with Wintershall Dea at a daily rate of $517,000, which is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2028, in a direct continuation of its existing services. The rig, the first semi-submersible rig to receive the Abate (Power+) notation, was completed and delivered by Jurong Shipyard in Singapore in 2019, and features the sixth-generation Moss Maritime CS60 design with a 150-person capacity and a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet.
The semi-submersible drilling rig “Transocean Spitsbergen” has been renewed by Equinor for a three-well drilling contract at a daily rate of $483,000 and will continue to be deployed in Norwegian waters, which is expected to commence in October 2025, with a direct continuation of the existing service and ending in March 2026. The rig, which was completed and delivered in 2010, is capable of drilling high pressure/high temperature formations and has been in service with Equinor for a number of years.
The semi-submersible CAT D rig “Transocean Endurance” has renewed its single-well drilling contract with Woodside at a daily rate of $390,000, scheduled to begin in October 2025, in direct continuation of existing services. The rig, completed and delivered in 2015, is a GVA 4000 NCS design with a 130-person capacity and a maximum drilling depth of 27,887 feet, and was built by Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering).
Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. Transocean specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on deepwater and harsh environment drilling services and operates the highest specification floating offshore drilling fleet in the world.
Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates a fleet of 36 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of 28 ultra-deepwater floaters and eight harsh environment floaters.