Transocean drillship gets fresh drilling gig

Offshore drilling contractor Transocean has won a new contract for one of its drillships with the U.S. Gulf of Mexico operator, EnVen Energy Corporation.

In an update on Wednesday, EnVen Energy said it had executed a drilling contract with Transocean for the use of the Transocean Discoverer Inspiration, an ultra-deepwater drillship.

EnVen has committed to one firm well with options for two additional wells and expects to take delivery of the drillship early in the third quarter of 2022. No further details have been revealed about the contract.

According to Transocean’s latest fleet status report, the drillship is currently under contract with Hess in the Gulf of Mexico. The nine-well contract with Hess was announced in July last year with a day rate of $215,000. It started last October and is scheduled to end in May 2022.

Steve Weyel, EnVen’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are excited to again work with Transocean on the Discoverer Inspiration as we continue our infrastructure-led exploration program, consistent with our proactive and disciplined strategy to develop our deepwater portfolio. We have several robust prospects to drill that provide tremendous growth potential.”

EnVen is committed to the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. In May last year, the company boosted its stake in the Neptune field in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico following a transaction with BHP. As a result, EnVen increased its stake in the field from 30 per cent to 65 per cent and assumed the role of operator.