Offshore UAE Contract Goes to Northern

Northern Offshore Drilling Operations, Ltd. has secured a firm letter of award for the high-specification Energy Emerger jack-up for work offshore Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, parent company Northern Offshore, Ltd. reported Wednesday.

The GustoMSC CJ46-X100-D jack-up – currently warm-stacked at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipyard in China – will drill high-pressure and high-temperature wells under the four-year contract, Northern stated.

“We are very pleased to have added an additional rig into the Middle East region with a long-term contract for the Energy Emerger,” Northern Chairman and CEO Yuanhui Sun said in a written statement. “We are also pleased to have earned the trust of our new customer in the Arabian Gulf and look forward to creating a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with them.” 

Citing contractual obligations, a Northern spokesperson told Rigzone the company cannot reveal the name of the customer.

According to Northern’s website, the Energy Emerger boasts a maximum drilling depth of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and can operate in up to 375 feet (114.3 meters) of water. The company stated Wednesday that the rig should commence operations during the first quarter of next year.

To contact the author, email mveazey@rigzone.com.