Opus Offshore orders two more drillships in China

Singapore’s soon-to-be drilling contractor Opus Offshore has ordered two new drillships from China’s Shanghai Shipyard.

According to the Chinese maritime news website SinoShipNews, Opus Offshore, a part of Reignwood group, has exercised options for the construction of two Tiger-design drillships in addition to the two units of the same type ordered back in 2011.

The drillships will be the first of the kind built and designed by a Chinese shipyard. Maximum operating depth for a Tiger drillship is 900m, upgradable to 1.500 m, with maximum drilling depth of 10.000 meters.

Opus Offshore, which did not reply to an e-mail seeking confirmation, is expected to take delivery of the first drillship in the series in the second quarter of 2014.