Ensco orders new jackups from Lamprell
Ensco has ordered two high-specification jackups, ENSCO 140 and ENSCO 141, for delivery in mid-2016 from Lamprell’s shipyard in the United Arab Emirates. The rigs will be suitable for most markets around the world outside of the Middle East. The total construction cost for both rigs, approximately $430 million, includes commissioning, systems integration testing and project management. The contract with Lamprell also includes options for two additional rigs of similar design.
ENSCO 140 and ENSCO 141 will feature the patented Canti-Leverage Advantage technology, which was first used on ENSCO 120 Series rigs. Other key features of the design include a dual-drilling fluid system, a 1.5 million-lb derrick, TDS-8 top drive and a 15,000-psi BOP. The rigs will initially be outfitted to work in up to 340 ft of water and may be upgraded to operate in up to 400 ft of water and drill to a TD of 30,000 ft.
“Over the past three years, we have successfully contracted our ENSCO 120 Series newbuild rigs well ahead of delivery based on the advantages of our proprietary technology,” said Dan Rabun, Chairman, President and CEO of Ensco. “While we recognize that many newbuild rigs are entering the market, we believe our new ENSCO 140 and ENSCO 141 jackups will attract significant customer interest based on their unique design, which is predicated on detailed market analysis of customer preferences.”
Since 2010, Ensco has taken delivery of 12 high-performance rigs, including two ENSCO 120 Series ultra-premium, harsh-environment jackups; five Samsung DP3 ultra-deepwater drillships; and five ENSCO 8500 Series ultra-deepwater semisubmersibles. During this same period, Ensco has divested 13 less capable rigs as part of its high-grading strategy.
