Ensco has been awarded three drillship contracts offshore West Africa, representing an aggregate three years of contracted term and more than six additional years of options.
ENSCO DS-4 is expected to start a two-year contract with Chevron offshore Nigeria in August 2017. The contract also includes option for one additional year of work. Ensco recently reactivated the rig following a period during which the rig was preservation stacked in Tenerife.
ENSCO DS-10 is scheduled to begin work with Shell offshore Nigeria in first quarter 2018. The contract duration is for one year with five one-year options. As a result of winning this contract, the rig’s delivery is expected to be accelerated into third quarter 2017 from first quarter 2019. ENSCO DS-10 will then undergo a period of acceptance testing before mobilizing to Nigeria to begin its maiden contract.
ENSCO DS-7 is contracted to Total until November 2017. Since November 2016, the rig has been idle in Tenerife earning a standby rate following early termination of its original contract for customer convenience. ENSCO DS-7 is now scheduled to mobilize to Ivory Coast to drill one well beginning in August 2017 that is expected to take 60 days to complete. Additionally, Total has a priced option for one further well.