Three Seadrill rigs line up jobs in Malaysia, Norway, and Brazil

January 21, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Seadrill, an offshore drilling contractor, has secured work assignments for a drillship and a jack-up rig off the coasts of Malaysia and Norway, alongside a contract extension for another drillship deployed in Brazilian waters.

West Capella drillship; Source: Seadrill

The West Capella ultra-deepwater drillship has won a contract in Malaysia with an undisclosed operator. The well-based program, which is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026, has an estimated duration of 440 days, plus priced options for three additional wells.

The total contract value for the firm term is approximately $157 million, including a $5 million mobilization fee and excluding additional services. With a maximum drilling depth of 37,500 feet and a water depth of 10,000 feet, the 2008-built sixth-generation ultra-deepwater dual activity drillship can accommodate 180 people.

Seadrill’s West Elara jack-up rig has landed an accommodation contract with Equinor on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), which is anticipated to start in the third quarter of 2026 and continue into the fourth quarter of 2027, with a total contract value of $78 million, plus three priced options of three months each.

Before this fixture, the rig owner reached a mutual agreement with the current contract holder to make the rig available. This update to the rig’s schedule results in a net increase in total contract value of $23 million. The company previously confirmed that its 2011-built West Elara jack-up rig was operating at the Ekofisk field in Norway for ConocoPhillips.

Designed to drill up to 35,000 feet, the West Elara rig features Hydril blowout preventers (BOPs) rated to 15,000 psi, a selective catalytic reduction system that is said to cut NOx emissions by up to 95%, and high-capacity Caterpillar C280 engines that deliver reliable performance in even the harshest offshore environments.

The West Carina drillship’s current contract in Brazil has been extended through April 2026. The 2014-built seventh-generation ultra-deepwater drillship has been working for Petrobras since November 2022. With a maximum drilling depth of 37,500 feet, the rig is sdesigned to operate in water depths of 12,000 feet.

Simon Johnson, Seadrill’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are excited to confirm these important contracts with several of our long-standing customers. The reactivation of the West Capella materially enhances Seadrill’s earnings potential in a region with reinvigorated demand for offshore drilling.

“In Norway, the West Elara’s contract with Equinor represents a harmonious solution to a potential gap in the rig’s operations, reaffirming that Seadrill’s collaborative approach with customers continues to create value for all stakeholders.”

These awards come a month after Seadrill confirmed drilling assignments for three other rigs in the U.S. Gulf and Angola.