TSC’s Alliance Offshore Drilling orders second Zentech jack-up

Alliance Offshore Drilling, a subsidiary of China’s TSC, has ordered a jack-up drilling rig from CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding.

The contract will come into force by the end of October this year. The rig, of a Zentech R-550D design is expected to be delivered “within 26 months upon the Contract coming into effect,” a statement by TSC reveals.

While the statement revealed that the rig will be paid for through installments, nothing was disclosed on the financial value of the deal.

Alliance Offshore Drilling already has one rig of the same type under construction at CSSC Huangpu yard. The company said it has exercised its option to build the second jack-up due to “the continuing positive response received for the first unit.”

Upon delivery of the first rig, the unit will be sold to China’s Petrolor, as per the agreement signed in December last year.

An R-550D jack-up drilling rig has been described as a high performance, three legged, extended reach cantilever type jack-up drilling rig, designed for worldwide service in up to 400 feet water depth.  The design has been approved by the American Bureau of Shipping.