Noble Appoints Halliburton CEO as Director

Noble Corporation plc announced, in a statement posted on its site, that its board of directors has appointed Jeff Miller, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Halliburton, to serve as a director of Noble.

“I am delighted to welcome Jeff to Noble’s Board of Directors,” Noble Chairman Charles M. Sledge said in the statement, on behalf of Noble’s board of directors.

“With deep industry expertise and a proven strength in strategic planning and international business, he brings valuable insights and leadership as we continue to guide Noble's long-term strategy and deliver value to our shareholders,” he added.

“We look forward to Jeff’s contributions in the years ahead,” he continued.

According to Noble’s website, the company’s board of directors comprises, in addition to Miller, Sledge, Erik Bergöö, who was named Head of Shipping and Offshore Portfolio at A.P. Møller Holding A/S in July 2023, Patrice Douglas, who the site describes as an attorney representing energy companies, financial institutions, municipalities and utilities on legal, regulatory, and compliance matters, Robert W. Eifler, who was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble in May 2020, Claus V. Hemmingsen, who served as Chairman for Maersk Drilling from September 2016 to November 2022, Alan J. Hirshberg, who currently owns consulting firm VOR Advisors Inc, and Keith Jennings, who is currently CFO of Array Technologies Inc, which the site describes as a manufacturer in the solar energy sector. 

In its statement, Noble highlighted that, since joining Halliburton in 1997, Miller has served in several roles at the company, including Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President of Business Development, Regional Vice President of Gulf of Mexico, and Operations Vice President of Angola and Indonesia.

Rigzone has contacted Halliburton for comment on Miller’s appointment at Noble. At the time of writing, Halliburton has not responded to Rigzone.

A bio page hosted on Halliburton’s website shows that Miller has a public company directorship at Noble. It also shows that Miller holds additional directorships and memberships at the American Petroleum Institute (API), the National Petroleum Council, the Advisory Council at the Texas A&M University Dwight Look College of Engineering, the Greater Houston Partnership, and the Council on Recovery Board of Trustees, and that he is on the board of directors at the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University and the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce.

“Miller has extensive experience leading energy industry business efforts in every region of the world, including specific assignments living in Angola, Indonesia, Venezuela, and Dubai,” the bio page states.

“He leads Halliburton’s strategy and direction. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Global Business Development, and was responsible for Halliburton’s largest global customers,” it adds.

The bio page notes that Miller leads Halliburton’s HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) and sustainability strategies and goals and points out that he has “deep mergers and acquisitions experience, working closely on a number of significant acquisitions and divestitures”.

The page goes on to note that, through Miller’s leadership, Halliburton “advances digital and automation in its and its customers’ operations to create more intelligent, remote, autonomous, and environmentally friendly operations throughout the energy industry”. It also states that, “in roles of increasing responsibility in locations around the world while at Halliburton … Miller gained significant experience leading people and organizations”.

Founded in 1919, Halliburton describes itself on its site as one of the world’s leading providers of products and services to the energy industry, noting that it creates “innovative technologies, products, and services that help … [its] customers maximize their value throughout the life cycle of an asset and advance a sustainable energy future”.

Noble Corporation describes itself on its site as a dynamic leader in offshore drilling.

“For the last 100 years, Noble has remained dedicated to our core values, our customers and the pursuit of operational excellence,” the company’s site adds.

In its first quarter results statement, which was published back in April, Noble President and CEO Robert W. Eifler said the company “commenced 2026 with solid operational and financial results”.

“Commercial momentum remains brisk, highlighted by the Noble Courage’s three year extension with Petrobras and the Noble Deliverer's five-well program with Woodside,” he added.

“We remain intensely focused on project execution, with several important contract commencements scheduled over the course of this year, each of which is progressing well,” he continued.

In that results statement, Noble announced that contract drilling services revenue for the first quarter of 2026 totaled $743 million. This compared to $705 million in the prior quarter, Noble highlighted, adding that “the sequential increase [was] driven primarily by improved fleet utilization”.

“Utilization of the 29 marketed rigs was 68 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared to 64 percent for the same rigs in the prior quarter,” Noble pointed out in its statement.

“Contract drilling services costs for the first quarter were $450 million, down from $471 million in the prior quarter,” it added.

The company outlined that net income increased to $121 million in the first quarter of 2026, which it highlighted was up from $87 million in the prior quarter, and said adjusted EBITDA increased to $277 million in the first quarter of 2026, which it pointed out was up from $232 million in the prior quarter.

“Net cash provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2026 was $273 million, capital expenditures were $104 million, and free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $169 million,” Noble said.

“Additionally, net disposal proceeds during the quarter totaled $206 million, representing the cash consideration received from the previously announced sale of five jackups to Borr Drilling,” it added.

In a statement posted on its site back in January, Noble announced that it had completed the sale of five jackup rigs to Borr Drilling Limited for $360 million.

“The company generated approximately $210 million in cash plus $150 million in seller notes from the sale of the Noble Tom Prosser, Noble Mick O’Brien, Noble Regina Allen, Noble Resilient and Noble Resolute,” Noble said in that statement.

“Noble intends to operate two rigs - Noble Mick O'Brien and Noble Resolute - under a bareboat charter agreement with Borr until December 2026, as well as the Noble Resilient through the remainder of its current contract term (including exercise of any customer options),” it added.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com