UMW Drilling orders KFELS jackup, delivery expected in Q3 2015
UMW Drilling, a wholly owned subsidiary of UMW Oil & Gas, has awarded Keppel FELS, a subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), a contract for a KFELS B Class jackup worth $218 million.
It will be the third KFELS B Class jackup for UMW Oil & Gas and is scheduled for delivery in Q3 2015. The first jackup, UMW NAGA 4, was delivered in February 2013, and the second, UMW NAGA 5, is expected to be completed by Q2 2014.
“The KFELS B Class rigs are efficient drilling platforms with industry-leading features and have been well received by the market,” Rohaizad Darus, president of UMW Oil & Gas, said. “Our first jackup constructed by Keppel FELS, UMW NAGA 4, is currently deployed in offshore Malaysia, while our second rig, UMW NAGA 5, is expected to be delivered in May this year and has already secured a charter from Nido Petroleum Philippines.”
The new rig is the 75th KFELS B Class ordered since 2000. Developed by Keppel’s technology arms, Offshore Technology Development and Bennett Offshore, the KFELS B Class jackup rig is able to operate in water depths of 400 ft, drill to depths of 30,000 ft and accommodate up to 150 personnel.
“We are glad that UMW has chosen to build a third rig to the KFELS B Class design,” Wong Kok Seng, managing director (offshore) of Keppel O&M and managing director of Keppel FELS said. “Having our own proprietary rig designs empowers us to customize solutions for each client to suit their unique requirements in the shortest time possible.”
The KFELS B Class rig incorporates Keppel’s advanced and fully automated high capacity rack and pinion elevating system and self-positioning fixation system. It provides maximum uptime with reduced emissions and discharges. For its environmental-friendly features, the KFELS B Class design received the Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award from Institution of Engineers Singapore in 2009.
