Seadrill purchases ultra-deepwater drillship West Polaris

Seadrill has exercised a purchase option for the West Polaris, a sixth-generation ultra-deepwater drillship, from Ship Finance International. The West Polaris was acquired by Ship Finance in 2008 and subsequently bareboat chartered to Seadrill, with purchase options commencing in 2012. The purchase option price is $456 million, and total consideration payable to Ship Finance is $108 million. The transaction will be executed as a purchase of shares in Ship Finance’s asset owning subsidiary SFL West Polaris, which is currently a consolidated entity in Seadrill. Seadrill said it does not expect any immediate material impact to its financial statements as a result of this transaction.