Switzerland's Transocean Secures $550 Million Drilling Contracts in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 19, Swiss offshore drilling contractor Transocean announced that two ultra-deepwater drillships have secured new contracts totaling approximately $550 million in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, covering the drilling of 15 offshore oil and gas wells. The Deepwater Proteus was awarded a 10-well drilling contract worth approximately $325 million, while the Deepwater Conqueror secured a 5-well drilling contract worth approximately $225 million. Both contracts are scheduled to commence in 2027.

The new contract for the Deepwater Proteus is planned to run for approximately 700 days, with operations expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027, directly following the vessel's current drilling contract in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Built in 2015, the vessel is based on a sixth-generation ultra-deepwater drillship design by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, with a maximum operating water depth of approximately 3,048 meters and a maximum drilling depth of approximately 12,192 meters.

The new contract for the Deepwater Conqueror is planned to run for approximately 450 days, with operations expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027. The vessel is currently conducting a drilling project in Equatorial Guinea and will relocate to the U.S. Gulf of Mexico upon completion of its existing operations. The new contract, valued at approximately $225 million, excludes equipment mobilization costs. Built in 2016, the vessel utilizes the same ultra-deepwater drillship design as the Deepwater Proteus, with an operating capability of approximately 3,048 meters water depth and a drilling depth of approximately 12,192 meters.

Both drillships were built by South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. Transocean currently operates or holds interests in a total of 27 mobile offshore drilling units, including 20 ultra-deepwater floating drilling units and 7 harsh-environment floating drilling units.