Maersk Drilling axes Gulf of Mexico staff

Danish offshore driller Maersk Drilling has decided to reduce its Gulf of Mexico staff by 84 employees. 

According to information provided by the Texas Workforce Commission, the employees were notified of this decision on January 12. The workers affected by this work aboard the Maersk Viking drillship in the Gulf of Mexico, Houston Business Journal has reported.

The Maersk Viking drillship was delivered to Maersk Drilling in February 2014 by Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje-Si, South Korea.

According to Maersk Drilling’s latest fleet status report published in January 2018, the drillship is under a contract with ExxonMobil which started in May 2014. Following its delivery to the owner and the start of contract with ExxonMobil, the drillship was sent to work on the ExxonMobil-operated Julia development, located approximately 200 miles south of New Orleans, Louisiana, in July 2014.

The original contract was scheduled to end in July 2017 but following an extension awarded by ExxonMobil in May 2017 the end date was set for December 2017. The fleet report now shows April 2018 as the latest contract end date.

Offshore Energy Today has reached out to Maersk Drilling seeking confirmation and further details about the layoffs. A spokesperson for the driller confirmed that, due to the upcoming contract termination of Maersk Viking, Maersk Drilling USA, had given notice of termination to 84 offshore employees.

Maersk Viking is an ultra-deepwater drillship. Featuring dual derrick and large subsea work and storage areas, the drillship design allows for well construction and field development activities through offline activities. Due to its positioning control system, the ship automatically maintains a fixed position in severe weather conditions with waves of up to 11 meters and wind speeds of up to 26 meters per second.

Offshore Energy Today Staff