Shipyard work has been completed on jackup Spartan 303 and the rig is now on location in Breton Sound Block 33 to begin its one-well plus options contract with Century Exploration. The firm portion of the contract should keep the rig working for around 90 days to the second-half of May. Jackup Spartan 151 had been on the Breton Sound location, but was moved to the Gulf Copper shipyard in Galveston when Spartan was awarded a two-year contract by Escopeta O&G for work off Alaska with the rig. Upgrades are continuing and the rig is expected to depart the U.S. Gulf around mid-March.
Hercules Offshore has received contracts for two previously idle jackups and secured an extension for another. First, Stone Energy will pick up the Hercules 201 for a 10-day P&A, with work scheduled to begin later this week. The rig had been hot stacked in West Cameron Block 38 since mid-December. Hall-Houston has taken the previously idle Hercules 251 for a 40-day contract in Eugene Island Block 266. The contract began over the weekend and will keep the rig busy through March. It had been stacked in West Cameron Block 38 for the past two weeks. Finally, Hilcorp Energy extended its contract on the Hercules 150 for 100 days starting in early March. The rig, which began its current contract with Hilcorp in Vermilion Block 39 earlier this month, is now next available in mid-June. Finally, jackup Hercules 253 completed its contract with SPN Resources in Galveston Block 241. The rig is now under tow to Vermilion Block 170 to begin a 30-day well for Contango Resources. ADTI will provide turnkey services for the operation.
Market reports indicate Diamond Offshore could have a contract signed for jackup Ocean Columbia later this week. While complete details are unknown, it is believed the work would last around 40 days. Further information will be reported as they become available. The rig has been idle in West Cameron Block 184 since mid-November.
Eni Petroleum received its well permit and moved jackup Seahawk 2001 onto location in High Island Block A-1 over the weekend. Seahawk has a one-well plus an option contract, with the firm portion lasting around 30 days. Meanwhile, jackup Seahawk 2007 is wrapping up work for Hall-Houston in High Island Block 88-L over the next few days. The rig then has a 10-day workover for newlyestablished operator Great Gulf Tan in nearby High Island Block 98-L, followed by a newly-signed two-well, 75-day contract extension with Castex Energy in Eugene Island Block 224. The rig had been working for Castex under a 70-day program before it began the Hall-Houston work. With all the work in place, the rig is next available for work in mid-May.
Jackup Noble John Sandifer is now enroute to the US Gulf from Mexico. The rig is the sixth of Noble Drilling’s jackup fleet in Mexico to be moved to the area. Two of the rigs are at the Keppel AMFELS shipyard in Brownsville undergoing upgrade work, while the remaining four are stacked in the South Padre Island area. Noble has stated it does not intend to work the units in the US Gulf, and rumors are that the relaxation of rig age requirements from PEMEX could result in some of the rigs eventually returning to work off Mexico.