Seadrill-Sonangol joint venture secures Angola contract for Quenguela drillship

Sonadrill, a 50-50 joint venture between Seadrill and an affiliate of Sonangol, has secured a 12-well contract with an option for nine wells and 11 additional one-well options in Angola for the Sonangol Quenguela drillship. The total contract value for the firm portion of the contract is expected to be approximately $131 million, with work expected to last from Q1 2022 to Q3 2023. The contract is contingent on National Concessionaire approval.

Sonangol Quenguela is the second of two Sonangol-owned drillships to be bareboat chartered into Sonadrill. The drillship is a seventh-generation, DP3, dual-activity, e-smart ultra-deepwater drillship delivered in 2019. It is capable of drilling up to 40,000-ft wells.

Sonadrill is a joint venture created between Sonangol, owner of the Sonangol Libongos and Sonangol Quenguela drillships, and Seadrill.

A further two Seadrill-owned units are expected to be bareboat chartered into Sonadrill. Seadrill will manage and operate the four units on behalf of Sonadrill.

“Sonadrill is a strategic partnership in an important deepwater basin,” said Seadrill CEO Stuart Jackson. “The operational excellence and experience of our team has driven this expansion of the joint venture. Securing the contract for the Sonangol Quenguela drillship is a great achievement, and it is a testament to the confidence that our partners and clients have in the company and its staff.”