Rig owner Transocean has started 2023 with a bang, recently securing contract awards or extensions for five of its drilling units – fixtures that combined represent approximately $488 million of firm backlog.
An independent operator has chartered Transocean’s ultra-deepwater drillship Deepwater Invictus for a three-well contract in the US Gulf of Mexico. This estimated 100-day gig is expected to be worth some $43 million.
Meanwhile, another mystery client has lined up the harsh environment semi-submersible Transocean Barents for a new one-well contract in the UK North Sea. This estimated $34 million contract is expected to commence before end-March.
In addition, UK independent Harbour Energy has exercised the third option on its UK North Sea contract with the harsh environment semisub Paul B Loyd Jr for an eight-well plug and abandonment campaign, adding an estimated $48 million to Transocean’s backlog. The contract extension is expected to last 275 days and will keep the rig utilised until the third quarter of 2024.
Across the maritime border in Norwegian waters, operators OMV and Wintershall Dea have exercised options for the Transocean Norge. The incremental term is expected to last 773 days and contribute an estimated $331 million to the drilling contractor’s backlog.
Also, TotalEnergies has exercised a one-well option on its contract with the ultra-deepwater semisub Development Driller III that is working offshore Suriname. This expected 90-day well is set to boost Transocean’s order book by an estimated $32 million.
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