Chevron Hires Transocean’s New Jack-up for Drilling in Angola

California based oil major Chevron has awarded Transocean Honor jack-up rig a three year contract in Angola on a dayrate of $149,000, excluding escalation.

The world’s largest drilling contractor said in its Fleet Status Report that the operations are expected to commence during the first quarter of 2012, after shipyard construction followed by sea trials, mobilization to Angola and customer acceptance.

The Transocean Honor, a Baker Marine Services Pacific Class 400 design, independent leg cantilever rig is being constructed in Singapore’s PPL Shipyard.

The contract commencement date is subject to vendor performance and other factors.

Chevron has interests in four concessions in Angola, in two of which as an operator. They are Angola’s largest foreign oil industry employer with more than 3,100 Angolans working for the company.

Frade Spill

At the other part of the world, in Brazil, both companies, Chevron and Transocean are facing a multi-billion lawsuit for their role in an offshore oil spill that occured last month near the Chevron operated Frade Field. Chevron said it has not received any formal notice of the lawsuit.

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Offshore Energy Today Staff, December 16, 2011; Image: PPL-Shipyard