Shelf Drilling Bags Gulf of Thailand Gig

Dubai-headquartered offshore drilling contractor Shelf Drilling has secured a contract for the Shelf Drilling Scepter jack-up rig with Chevron (CVX) Thailand Exploration and Production for operations in the Gulf of Thailand.

The contract for the  2008-built  rig is expected to commence in Q1 2020 and run until Q2 2022 and includes a one-year option.

David Mullen, Chief Executive Officer, Shelf Drilling, said: “We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Chevron through this award for the Shelf Drilling Scepter. The high specification jack-up rig has been a significant enhancement to our fleet, and we are thrilled to have secured its maiden contract in a strategically important region."

He added: "This award strengthens our long-term presence in the Gulf of Thailand and demonstrates Shelf Drilling’s success in securing contracts in a very competitive market.”

Shelf Drilling bought the Ocean Scepter jack-up rig, now Shelf Drilling Scepter, from Diamond Offshore (DO1.F) for $90 million back in July 2018.

The  international shallow water offshore drilling contractor also announced  that it has executed a two-year extension for each of the Shelf Drilling Tenacious and the Shelf Drilling Mentor in continuation of their existing contracts through priced options exercised by the customer.

Both rigs are now committed until January 2022, it said.

Shelf Drilling has rig operations across Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, West Africa and the Mediterranean.