Diamond orders second ultra-deepwater drillship

Total cost, including commissioning, spares

and

project management, is expected to be approximately $590 million

.

The company has also obtained from Hyundai a fixed-price option for the purchase of a third drillship which it has the right to exercise at any time before the end of the first quarter of 2011

.

The two new drillships are planned to be named

Ocean BlackHawk

and

Ocean BlackHornet

.

Like its previously announced sister drillship, the BlackHornet will be dynamically-positioned, have a seven ram blow-out preventer, dual activity capability, five mud pumps

and

a maximum hook-load capacity of 1,250 tonnes

.

The unit will be designed for operations in up to 12,000 feet of water

.

Diamond Offshore president

and

CEO Larry Dickerson said: “The addition of this second new drillship to our fleet will provide multiple ultra-deepwater options to our customers, who can then perform state-of-the-art drilling with Diamond Offshore’s high st

and

ards of systems integrity, safety

and

operational excellence

.

Including our acquisitions of the

Ocean Courage

and

Ocean Valor

in 2009, we have now purchased, ordered or upgraded seven units with capabilities in 10,000 ft

.

of water over the last four years

.

When completed, the new drillship will bring to sixteen the total number of deepwater rigs deployed by Diamond Offshore

.

”