Chevron keeps offshore oil & gas search going by lengthening Shelf Drilling rig’s stay

UAE-headquartered offshore drilling contractor Shelf Drilling (SHLF) has secured more drilling time with the U.S.-based energy giant Chevron for one of its jack-up rigs working off the coast of West Africa.

The contract extension for the Shelf Drilling Scepter jack-up will enable the rig to remain on the drilling assignment offshore West Africa for another year. The 2008-built rig, which was last upgraded in 2019, features Keppel FELS Super B Class design.

According to the rig owner, the total added contract value is approximately $50 million. The jack-up is working with Chevron in Nigeria, based on Shelf Drilling’s data about its fleet’s whereabouts.

This one-year extension will begin in direct continuation of the rig’s current contract, which started in June 2023 and was due to end in July 2025 before the U.S. oil major made use of its one-year option to keep the rig busy in African waters until July 2026.

With a maximum drilling depth capacity of 35,000 feet (10.67 kilometers), the Shelf Drilling Scepter jack-up rig can operate in water depths of 350 feet (0.11 kilometers) and accommodate 150 people.

This extension comes shortly after Shelf Drilling and Arabian Drilling disclosed plans to widen their offshore drilling footprint by combining resources to deploy some of the latter’s premium jack-up rigs internationally to expand the reach and capabilities of both companies.