Statoil drops, Total picks up ‘Maersk Gallant’ contract

Maersk Drilling, an offshore drilling contractor, has informed that a Norwegian oil firm Statoil has cancelled a contract for one of its drilling rigs. The offshore driller afterwards signed a new agreement whereby the rig is now under contract with Total. 

Statoil has cancelled the contract for the harsh environment jack-up rig Maersk Gallant. A cancellation fee is due to Maersk Drilling, and will be handled in accordance with the contract.

Concurrently, Maersk Drilling has signed a new contract with Total E&P Norge A/S for Maersk Gallant in direct continuation of the cancelled contract. The contract cancellation and new contract will be financially neutral to Maersk Drilling, the company said in Wednesday.

Mærsk Gallant has been on contract with Statoil for two years, since August 2014, and has since October 2015 been sub-chartered to ConocoPhillips.

According to Statoil, between February 14 and August 21, 2016 the Maersk Gallant is on a new contract with Total, who will pay cancellation fee according to the former contract.