Offshore drilling contractor Ensco has announced that
ultra-deep-water drillship ENSCO DS-7 has been awarded a contract by US
company Noble Energy to drill two wells and complete four production
wells at Israel’s Leviathan field development in the Mediterranean Sea.
This contract is expected to commence in March 2018 and be completed
in December 2018, London-based Ensco said in a press release on August
21. The contract also includes four one-well priced customer options
that if fully exercised would extend the contract into 2020.
"We are pleased to announce another significant contract award for
one of our high-specification assets – our fourth drillship contract
awarded during the third quarter,” Ensco CEO and President
Carl Trowell said. "Our recent
contract awards underscore that there is strong customer demand for the
type of high-specification assets that will be added to Ensco’s fleet
through our pending acquisition of Atwood, which will create a leading
global offshore drilling company and better position us as the market
recovery cycle unfolds,” he added.
ENSCO DS-7 will be upgraded with a second blowout preventer. This
upgrade, combined with the rig’s dual derricks and other technical
specifications, will make it one of the most capable assets in the
global fleet. As previously announced, this upgrade is expected to cost
less than $10 million since it will utilise a blowout preventer
currently in inventory, Ensco said. Following its upgrade, ENSCO DS-7
will mobilise to the Mediterranean Sea to begin its contract with Noble
Energy.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/noble-energy-contacts-ensco-drillship-israeli-gas-field/