Shelf Drilling jack-up rig gets long-term gig off Nigeria

Offshore drilling contractor Shelf Drilling has secured a long-term contract for one of its jack-up rigs with an undisclosed company for operations offshore Nigeria.

Shelf Drilling Scepter rig; Source: Shelf Drilling

Shelf Drilling revealed on Thursday, 9 March 2023, that it had won a two-year contract for the Shelf Drilling Scepter jack-up rig for operations offshore Nigeria.

While the contract value for the firm period, including mobilisation revenue, is approximately $118 million, this deal also entails a one-year option, thus, the contract could be extended. According to the offshore drilling player, the start-up of operations is planned for May 2023.

Previously, the rig worked for Chevron in the Gulf of Thailand. Shelf Drilling bought the Ocean Scepter jack-up rig, now Shelf Drilling Scepter, from Diamond Offshore for $90 million back in July 2018. 

The 2008-built Shelf Drilling Scepter jack-up rig is of a Keppel FELS Super B Class design. It had an upgrade in 2019. This rig is capable of operating in water depths of up to 350 ft and can accommodate 150 people.

Regarding Shelf Drilling’s recent activities, it is worth noting that the firm was awarded a contract extension in February 2023 for one of its jack-up rigs for operations offshore Egypt.

The contract extension came after the UAE-based company got another contract extension offshore Eqypt in January 2023 and won a three-year deal with ONGC off India and a contract extension with Chevron’s subsidiary in Angola.