Dutch offshore services outfit OOS has led a successful bid to acquire the semi-submersible rig ODN Delba III from Brazil’s Ocyan.

The rig was put put up for sale after rolling off its contract with Petrobras in 2012 after falling surplus to requirements for Ocyan, the offshore services unit in the Odebrecht group of companies.

The sale, for an undisclosed amount, will allow Ocyan to pay off creditors, in step with the group's wider financial restructuring process.

Upstream understands that OOS will emerge as manager of the rig, but the purchase is being backed by partners offering at least three years of drilling contact backlog in Mexico, with the possibility to renew for three more.

“The rig will be adapted to work in moored mode,” one source said.

The ODN Delba III rig was originally built to order by Delba Drilling but was acquired by Odebrecht after Delba ran into trouble, leading to the acquisition by the offshore services division of Odebrecht. The financing pool is headed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

OOS operates flotel units in Brazil, but has been working on initiatives to expand into the drilling market.

One year ago, OOS announced its selection to provide drilling services to Mexico state player Pemex with the Tiger 1 drillship under a 15-month contract.

The contract was framed as providing management and support for Marinsa, a Mexican supplier of vessels recently moving into the drilling market, with two Pemex contracts.

The Tiger-1 was supposed to start work in Mexico in January, but the drillship never left China, reportedly due to an impasse over bank guarantees.

The ODN Delba III can operate in water depths of up to 2400 metres, but will be used in mid-water depths by Pemex, Upstream understands.

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OOS lands Ocyan semisub in Brazil