ADNOC Drilling Company has accepted the delivery of AD-300, the first of six fully automated walking island rigs under a $1.54 billion contract.
The rig was delivered nearly three months ahead of schedule under a drilling services contract awarded by ADNOC Offshore.
Standing 50 metres tall and weighing approximately 2,000 tons, AD-300 is designed to move between well locations on artificial islands without being dismantled. The technology on the rig includes automated pipe handling, artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring and hybrid power capabilities.
“The delivery of AD-300 marks a step-change in how we execute large-scale, technology-enabled energy development,” said ADNOC Drilling Chief Executive Officer Abdulla Ateya Al Messabi.
ADNOC Offshore Chief Executive Officer Tayba Abdulrahim Al Hashmi noted that the rigs are intended to expand production capacity.
The operator has already begun deploying the second rig, AD-301, while the remaining four units are scheduled for delivery through 2027. ADNOC Drilling highlighted that these integrated systems are designed to provide real-time operational insights to support predictive maintenance and performance optimisation.