Nabors Offshore workover jackup Dolphin 109 completed its one-well contract with Marlin Energy, LLC and is now available for charter. The rig is stacked on location in West Cameron Block 132. It is believed Nabors may be close to securing further work for the rig, but nothing is confirmed at present. Those details will be reported if and when a contract is finalized.

Rowan jackup Rowan Louisiana has completed operations for McMoRan Exploration Co. in Eugene Island Block 26 and is now on location in Ship Shoal Block 188 for the first of two option wells available under the original agreement. The well has a planned TD of about 25,000 ft, with operations expected to last around 200 days.

Spartan Offshore jackup Spartan 208 has gone to work for Black Elk Energy, LLC on a one-well deal in Galveston Block 424. Workover operations should last around 20-25 days. The rig had been idle since the latter part of August prior to receiving the work.

Total mobile rig utilization in the Gulf of Mexico is unchanged this week. Currently, 63 of 115 rigs are under contract or committed for work, for utilization of 54.8%. Marketed utilization, which excludes cold stacked and other rigs here but not marketed in the U.S. gulf, remains at 91.3%, with 61 of 69 rigs under contract.

Utilization of the jackup fleet is the same as last week as Spartan Offshore Drilling, LLC put a previously idle rig to work, offset by a Nabors Offshore Corporation unit going idle. Overall fleet utilization is now 47.4%, with 36 of 76 units under contract or committed for work. Marketed utilization remains at 85.7%, with 36 of 42 units contracted.

Floating rig utilization is unchanged this week. Current fleet utilization remains at 78.7%, with 26 of 33 units under contract, while marketed utilization is 96.3%, with 26 of 27 rigs under contract.

Total platform rig fleet utilization is still 44%, with 22 of 50 units under contract.  Marketed utilization stands at 62.9%, with 22 of 35 units under contract or committed for work.

Inland barge utilization is lower this week, as several units completed contracts and another rig was removed from the rig rolls. ...

Diamond Offshore has signed a deal with ExxonMobil Corporation to take semi Ocean Victory for a four-well P&A program in the Zinc field in Mississippi Canyon Block 354. Work is expected to last for 105 days and will begin between January 1 and April 15, 2012, depending on when work with Walter Oil & Gas Corporation is completed. It is further understood ExxonMobil could have additional drilling work for the rig upon completion of the P&A program. The rig is currently working for ATP O&G in Green Canyon Block 299 and is next scheduled to go to the Walter work in Ewing Bank Block 834 in late November, with operations scheduled to last 45 days. Walter has also picked up previously idle semi Ocean Saratoga for a 21-day well in Viosca Knoll Block 821. The rig, which had been idle since late September, began mobilizing to location from Galveston, Texas, on November 13. Work will be completed in early December. Diamond also reports that jackup Ocean Titan has departed the AmFELS yard in Brownsville, Texas, for Mexico, where it has a 777-day contract with Pemex starting later this month. Semi Ocean Yorktown will depart the same yard in late November, ...

Total mobile rig utilization in the Gulf of Mexico increased this week as two previously idle rigs received contracts. Currently, 63 of 115 rigs are under contract or committed for work, for utilization of 54.8%. Marketed utilization, which excludes cold stacked and other rigs here but not marketed in the U.S. gulf, rose to 91.3%, with 63 of 69 rigs under contract.

Utilization of the jackup fleet increased from last week, as an idle Nabors Offshore Corporation unit received a contract. Overall fleet utilization is now 47.4% with 36 of 76 units under contract or committed for work. Marketed utilization is now 85.7% with 36 of 42 units contracted.

Floating rig utilization also rose this week, as a previously idle Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. semi went to work. Current fleet utilization is now 81.8%, with 27 of 33 units under contract, while marketed utilization hit 100%, with all 27 rigs under contract.

Total platform rig fleet utilization is still 44%, with 22 of 50 units under contract. Marketed utilization stands at 62.9%, with 22 of 35 units under contract or committed for work.

Inland barge utilization is unchanged this week. Total utilization is 55% with 33 of 60 units contracted, ...

Reports are that Rowan Companies newbuild jackup Rowan EXL-IV may have a signed contract in place by the end of this week. While the potential customer is not known, market intelligence indicates Apache Corporation could be the operator getting the rig. The LeTourneau Super 116-E design rig, delivered from the Keppel AmFELS yard in Brownsville, Texas, on September 1, is currently undergoing systems testing while waiting on work and is expected to leave the yard in October.

Hall-Houston Exploration finally received its permit and now has jackup Hercules 212 on location in High Island Block 205. The ADTI turnkey well is expected to take around 30 days to complete. Meanwhile, jackup Hercules 214 has wrapped up operations for Apache Corporation in Main Pass Block 69 and is now on standby while it waits for its next contract to begin. That work will be for Phoenix Exploration Company, LP in nearby Main Pass Block 59 on a job that was switched from jackup Hercules 253. That rig is also on standby in West Cameron Block 38 while it waits to begin a threewell, 120-day contract with Hall-Houston, now expected to be in early October. Tana Exploration Company, LLC will then ...

Total mobile rig utilization in the Gulf of Mexico inched upward this week, as one new rig was delivered without a contract and one previously idle rig received a contract. Currently, 59 of 117 rigs are under contract or committed for work, for utilization of 50.4%. Marketed utilization, which excludes cold stacked and other rigs here but not marketed in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, stands at 83.1%, with 59 of 71 rigs under contract.

Within the jackup fleet, overall fleet utilization is now 41.6%, with 32 of 77 units under contract or committed for work. One Rowan newbuild jackup was added to the rig rolls without a contract, while a previously idle ENSCO, PLC unit received a contract. Marketed utilization is now 74.4%, with 32 of 43 units contracted.

Floating rig utilization saw no change this week. Current fleet utilization is now 79.4%, with 27 of 34 units under contract. Marketed utilization remains at 96.4%, with 27 of 28 rigs under contract.

Total Platform rig fleet utilization increased with the removal of two units from supply and an idle Nabors Offshore unit receiving a contract. Currently, 23 of 50 units are under contract, for utilization of ...