Norway: Aker Drilling Selects Advisers for IPO

Further to yesterday’s announcement of the contemplated initial public offering (IPO) of Aker Drilling, the company wishes to inform that Arctic Securities, DnB NOR Markets, Pareto Securities and RS Platou Markets have been retained as financial advisors and facilitators of the IPO on Oslo Stock Exchange.

About Aker Drilling

Aker Drilling is an offshore drilling contractor, with two of the world‘s largest, most advanced and most robust semisubmersible drilling units. Both Aker Spitsbergen and Aker Barents are on long-term drilling contracts on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

Experience and focus on health, safety and the environment characterise both the management and the operations organisation. The group has its head office in Stavanger.

Robust and advanced rigs

Aker Drilling is a fully integrated drilling contractor with two sixth-generation Aker H6-e rigs. These semi-submersible units are built for safe and efficient operation year-round in harsh environment and deep waters worldwide – including Arctic regions.

The design of these rigs represents a pioneering advance on the well-established Aker H-3 and Aker H-4.2 concepts, which have been developed over several decades. Also created to meet tomorrow‘s requirements, this solution features large and flexible drilling and storage capacities as well as ultra-modern equipment. The rigs have excellent motion characteristics in harsh environments, which ensure efficient operation under weather conditions which compel other units to shut down. That makes a significant contribution to meeting oil company requirements for cost-efficiency.

Expertise and values

The group has constructed a competent organisation based on solid values. Together with ultra-modern rigs, Aker Drilling can thereby offer the highest standards of safety for people and the environment.

Its rigs have attracted great interest from the market, and this response confirms that Aker Drilling has succeeded in meeting oil company requirements.

Aker Drilling ASA is 100% owned by Aker ASA via Aker Capital AS.

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Source: Aker Drilling, January  21, 2011;