Awilco Drilling has awarded a $425m contract to Keppel Offshore & Marine’s (Keppel O&M) subsidiary Keppel FELS for the construction of a mid-water, harsh-environment, semi-submersible drilling rig.
The construction of the rig is required to be completed by the first quarter of 2021.
The contract also gives Awilco options to order the construction of up to an additional three rigs.
Awilco needs to exercise the options within 12, 24 and 36 months respectively.
Keppel O&M CEO Chris Ong said: “We have worked closely with Awilco to customise the CS60 for mid-water and harsh environments. In addition, the use of real time data in the rig’s operations and maintenance will enhance its efficiency and robustness, providing a competitive advantage for harsh environment operations.”
Before landing the latest order, Keppel delivered three jack-up rigs to the same management team.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataThe design of the rig will be similar to CS60 ECO MW and will be specially configured for mid-water operations of up to depths of 1,500m.
The hydraulic hoisting system of the rig has a lifting capacity of two million pounds.
Other features of the rig include an optimised 12 point thruster-assisted mooring system for vessel station keeping.
In addition, the rig comes equipped with digitalisation, which is expected to increase the drilling efficiency and reliability of the rig.
Awilco Drilling CEO Jon Oliver Bryce said: “We see growing activity in the harsh environment mid-water rig segment with utilisation increasing, especially in the North Sea.
“This newbuild rig will be purpose-designed with the latest technology, making it cost-effective for our customers.”