Seadrill drillship duo picks up drilling jobs in US Gulf

August 12, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Seadrill, an offshore drilling contractor, has found new drilling assignments for a pair of drillships in its fleet with two U.S.-based oil and gas players, Talos Energy and Murphy Oil, in the U.S. Gulf.

While disclosing its new awards in the U.S. Gulf, Seadrill revealed a two-well contract with Talos Energy for the 2013-built West Vela drillship. The rig deal’s estimated term is 90 days.

This contract is expected to begin in mid-November 2025. With a maximum drilling depth of 37,500 feet, the drillship is capable of working in water depths of 12,000 feet.

Seadrill drillship staying busy with US drilling campaign thanks to multimillion-dollar extension

Project & Tenders

The rig owner also secured a three-well contract for the 2013-built Sevan Louisiana drillship with Murphy Oil in the U.S. Gulf. The deal, which started in August 2025, is anticipated to run into November 2025.

This drillship, which is capable of operating in water depths of 10,000 feet, can undertake drilling work at a maximum depth of 35,000 feet. Seadrill’s order backlog was approximately $2.5 billion as of August 6, 2025.

The company’s backlog as of May 12, 2025, was $2.8 billion, down from $3 billion recorded in February 2025. The firm sold one of its jack-up rigs at the end of 2024.

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Simon Johnson, Seadrill’s President and CEO, emphasized: “We are pleased that the active customer dialogues referenced in the prior quarter are converting into new contracts. The West Vela’s continued exceptional operating performance has enabled it to secure work in a competitive environment, and the Sevan Louisiana contract award expands our customer base, creating access to a broader spectrum of work opportunities.

“Furthermore, we expect material progress on additional fixtures in the near future. With our disciplined approach to contracting, robust balance sheet and relentless focus on setting the standard in our operations, we remain confident in delivering long-term shareholder value as the market improves.”