Further to a report in last week’s Gulf of Mexico Activity Report, jackup Rowan EXL-III is now scheduled to move to Grand Isle Block 16 for a three-well completion sublet with Energy XXI. The rig, which is under contract with McMoRan O&G through May 2012, completed the first well of that contract in May, but has been waiting on location in Brazos Block A-23 waiting on permit approval for the second well. Rowan hopes to be able to begin its second well with McMoRan upon completion of the Energy XXI work.

Pemex has opened bids for jackup tender 509-11, with KCA Deutag and Diamond Offshore emerging as the low bidders. KCA jackup Ben Loyal was confirmed for a 759-day program starting August 15, while Diamond Offshore jackup Ocean Summit was the low bidder for a 985-day contract starting February 23, 2012. The final contract awards will be confirmed on June 28. The Ben Loyal completed a contract with Pemex in April and is now in Brownsville undergoing a five-year survey and overhaul program. The Ocean Summit began a 289-day contract with Pemex in March, with completion scheduled for December 31.

Nabors Offshore newbuild inland barge Nabors BR-150 has ...

Hercules Offshore has canceled the remainder of its contract with Great Gulfcan Energy with jackup Hercules 212, and the rig is hot stacked in West Cameron 38. The rig had been working in High Island 98-L and was originally scheduled to complete the work in mid-July, but financial issues with the operator led to the cancellation. Shipyard work on jackup Hercules 120 has not been completed, and now the rig is not expected to return to its contract with Chevron until late June. The rig, which is under contract through the end of 2011, was originally due to return to work May 25. Pisces Energy will now keep jackup Hercules 204 for an additional well in Ship Shoal 151. The operator now has the rig through end-July, after which it will go to Ship Shoal 112 for a 40-day well with Stone Energy. With the extension, the rig is now next available in the first half of September. Finally, inland barge Hercules 17 has secured a follow-up contract with Energy Partners, Ltd. for a 42-day well. Work will begin later this week after the current contract with Marlin Energy is completed. The new work keeps the rig busy to mid-July....

Jackup Noble Bill Jennings has arrived in Mexico from the U.S. Gulf and begun its recently awarded 286-day contract with Pemex. Work will keep the rig busy through the remainder of 2011. In addition to that rig, four additional Noble jackups currently located in the U.S. Gulf, will mobilize shortly to Mexico to begin new contracts with Pemex. Noble also reports that jackup Noble Leonard Jones, which also was awarded a contract from Pemex in recent tender 503-11, started its program, a 272-day term on March 19. The rig, which was warm stacked in Mexico, is now busy until mid-December. Finally, Noble reports that jackup Noble Sam Noble, which completed a 75-day contract extension with Pemex at the end of January, is now enroute to the U.S. Gulf. The rig should arrive this week and will be stacked in South Padre Island 1147 where the company’s other units are currently located. As was the case with the other jackups Noble moved here from Mexico, there is no intent to work the rig in the U.S. Gulf.

ATP O&G has received a permit to resume drilling its ATP Titan floating production platform in Mississippi Canyon 941 #4 well, marking the ...