Keppel bags Ensco semisub rig

Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS) in Singapore has won a contract to build a $537 million ultra-deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig from a subsidiary of Dallas-based Ensco International Incorporated (Ensco). This contract follows shortly after of the award of the fifth semisub, ?Ensco 8504?, that was announced on earlier last month. This latest rig, ?Ensco8505?, is the sixth consecutive semi of the ?Ensco 8500? series that Keppel FELS is constructing, and is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2012.

Keppel FELS has delivered nine new jackup rigs to Ensco, and is constructing six semis based on Ensco?s proprietary design. The first semisub of the 8500 series is on track for delivery in the third quarter of this year, and has been contracted in Gulf of Mexico to Anadarko and Eni.

The 8500 series semisubmersibles are capable of drilling in up to 8,500 feet (2,591 m) of water and feature offline pipe handling capability. The rigs have increased drilling capacity, improved automatic station keeping ability meeting DP2 requirements and larger living quarters than Ensco’s previous deepwater design ?Ensco 7500?.