Gulf Drilling International renews options for more jack-up rigs from Keppel

Gulf Drilling International (GDI) has renewed options for two more KFELS B-Class jack-up drilling rigs from Keppel FELS for delivery in 2018 and 2019.

The Qatari drilling company has so far taken delivery of five such rigs from the Singapore-based builder. The latest rig, Halul, was delivered on January 21, which Keppel said was “ten days ahead of schedule, on budget and with a perfect safety record”.

“Reliability, safety, efficiency and quality are our top priorities in choosing a rig and a shipyard. Keppel FELS and the KFELS B Class design have demonstrated their strengths in these areas repeatedly. That is why we have chosen to renew our options for two more rigs with them,” said Mubarak A. Al-Hajri, GDI’s CEO and managing director.

“We are confident in the long-term fundamentals of the industry and when the market recovers, we will be well-equipped to meet the demand.”

GDI’s other KFELS B-Class rigs Dukhan and Al Zubarah are operating for Qatar Petroleum; Al Khor is employed on a contract with Shell.

The rigs are able to drill to depths of 30,000 feet with a cantilever that can skid out 70 feet from the edge of the hull to drill wells.

Nakilat-Keppel O&M, Keppel’s joint-venture shipyard in Qatar, has just completed a self-propelled, self-elevating liftboat for GDI.