Houston-based contractor National Oilwell Varco (NOV) has suspended fabrication of 16 drilling packages that would equip ultra-deepwater drilling rigs being built at Brazilian shipyards for Sete Brasil.
According to NOV chief executive Clay Williams, the company finally halted activity on the drilling packages during the second quarter, after three of the four shipyards it has contracts with suspended payments.
NOV was hired to build drilling packages for a total of 22 rigs in Brazil, including seven drillships at the Estaleiro Atlantico Sul (EAS) shipyard, six drillships at the Enseada Industria Naval shipyard, three drillships at the Estaleiro Rio Grande (ERG) shipyard, and six semi-submersible rigs at the BrasFels shipyard.
While
