‘Maersk Giant’ drilling rig avoids stacking

Danish drilling contractor Maersk Drilling has been awarded a new contract for the jack-up rig Mærsk Giant with its compatriot firm DONG Energy.

The firm contract covers 150 days of work on the Nini and Siri field in the Danish part of the North Sea. The estimated contract value is $6 million. The contract is in direct continuation of the current contract with Talisman keeping Maersk Giant employed until March 2016.

“We are very pleased to continue our good corporation with DONG Energy, one of our key customers in the North Sea,” says Claus V. Hemmingsen, CEO in Maersk Drilling and member of the Executive Board in the Maersk Group and continues:

“In order to navigate the low visibility in the current market, it is essential that we reduce our exposure by securing a solid contract backlog. Therefore, it is also rewarding to see that we secure employment for the Mærsk Giant, which otherwise would have been stacked.”

The Mærsk Giant is one of the ultra harsh environment jack-ups in Maersk Drilling’s fleet. The rig is fully equipped for high pressure/high temperature (HP/HT) drilling and is designed for year-round operation in the North Sea, in water depths up to 107 m (350 ft) with an available leg length below hull of 132 m (435 ft).