World’s largest semi-submersible rig delivered in South Korea

A weekend of ‘world’s largest’ rig deliveries is behind us. After Singapore’s Sembmarine said it delivered the world’s largest jack-up rig to Noble Corporation, South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries boasted with the delivery of world’s largest semi-submersible drilling rig.

In a statement on Monday, HHI said it had delivered the Ocean Greatwhite, described as the world’s largest semi-submersible drilling rig, to Diamond Offshore, a Houston-based drilling contractor on Friday, July 15.

Hyundai Heavy said that the delivery installment worth 460 billion won ($395 million) will help improve HHI’s cash flow.

Ocean Greatwhite, measuring 123 m in length and 78 m in width, is capable of operating in waters up to 3 km deep and drilling down to a depth of 10.67 km from the sea surface. The rig will be chartered to BP for operation in the Great Australian Bight from October this year.

HHI won the order worth $630 million to build the rig in 2013 and has delivered four other drillships to the US-based drilling contractor so far.