Norwegian rig owner Northern Drilling has firmed up an option for a newbuild ultra- deepwater drillship from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in a $350 million order, writes Eoin O’Cinneide.
The seventh-generation Cobalt Explorer was originally ordered by Vantage Drilling for $593 million and an estimated total project cost of $660 million.
Northern, controlled by Seadrill boss John Fredriksen, said the unit will have a flexible delivery date up to the end of the first quarter of 2021.
