Ensco has announced that one of its subsidiaries has entered into a contract for the ultra-deepwater semisubmersible rig 'Ensco 8506' with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
'Ensco 8506' is currently under construction at a Singapore shipyard, with delivery scheduled for the third quarter of 2012. The contract will commence in the fourth quarter of 2012 once mobilisation, sea trials and acceptance testing have been completed. The initial contract term is for two and a half years in the US Gulf of Mexico at a day rate of US$530,000, plus cost adjustments.
'Ensco 8506' is the final of seven rigs in the Ensco 8500 series. The first rig, 'Ensco 8500', commenced operations in 2009, and soon drilled Anadarko's major Lucius Discovery in the Gulf of Mexico. In October 2011, Anadarko contracted 'Ensco 8505' as part of a rig-sharing agreement with Apache and Noble Energy. 'Ensco 8505' is scheduled to commence operations in the second quarter of this year.
For the first three quarters of 2011, Ensco 8500 rigs operated in Asia, North America and South America and achieved 97 percent utilisation. The design includes a 10,700-metre nominal rated drilling depth, 900 tonnes of hoisting capacity, 8,000 tonnes of variable deck load, and an open layout suited for subsea completion activities. Improved visibility from the open deck configuration also enhances safety.
