Vantage Drilling Co. Closes GOM Plant, Lays Off 135 Workers

Vantage Deepwater Drilling, Inc., a subsidiary of offshore drilling contractor Vantage Drilling Company, is closing a plant in the Gulf of Mexico resulting in the layoff of 135 employees, according to a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The letter states that Vantage’s mass layoff, which began Sept. 30, is expected to last at least three months. Employees do not have bumping rights.

Vantage, based in Houston, joins several other oil and gas companies who have had to lay off workers due to the challenging market environment, with the number of layoffs reported to be more than 200,000 this year alone. Oilfield service companies and offshore drilling contractors have been hit particularly hard.

Vantage’s rig fleet currently includes four jackups and three drillships. Brazilian oil company Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobas) announced it was terminating a contract for one of Vantage’s three drillships, the Titanium Explorer, Aug. 31, alleging that Vantage had breached its obligations under the drilling contract dated Feb. 4, 2009. Vantage has disputed such claims.  

Calls to Vantage were not returned as of press time.  



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