ENB Pub Note: Interesting update from Valaris for ExxonMobil. The unit is offshore Cyprus and may be heading to Angola. The offshore business is one we are tracking as global oil demand is expected to grow, and it appears that the Trump tariff wars may be coming to an end in the next 60 days. If that happens and demand stays strong in India, and China cannot go below how much India increases, the oil price will be headed to the $80 range. The specifications are listed below, as we are also looking at the types of rigs to determine volumes.
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Design: Samsung GF12000 (Samsung 12000 design), a dynamically positioned, dual-activity drillship built for ultra-deepwater operations.
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Build Year: 2015, constructed at Samsung Heavy Industries, Geoje, South Korea.
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Flag: Marshall Islands.
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IMO Number: 9666572.
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MMSI: 538005375.
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Call Sign: V7DE3.
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Dimensions:
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Length: Approximately 229 meters (751 feet).
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Width: 36 meters (118 feet).
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Gross Tonnage: Around 60,000 tons (exact figure varies by source).
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Water Depth Capability: Up to 12,000 feet (3,658 meters), making it suitable for ultra-deepwater drilling.
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Drilling Depth: Maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters).
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Accommodation: Can house up to 200 personnel, ensuring self-sufficiency during extended offshore campaigns.
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Drilling Equipment:
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Dual-Activity Derrick: Enables simultaneous drilling and completion operations, enhancing efficiency.
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Drawworks: High-capacity system supporting deep drilling operations.
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Top Drive: Advanced system for precise drilling control.
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Mud Pumps: High-pressure pumps for circulating drilling fluid.
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Power and Propulsion:
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Main Power: Multiple diesel-electric engines providing robust power for drilling and station-keeping.
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Thrusters: Azimuthing thrusters for dynamic positioning, ensuring stability in harsh conditions.
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Dynamic Positioning: DP3 system, allowing precise positioning without anchors, critical for deepwater operations.
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Operational Capabilities:
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Equipped for managed pressure drilling (MPD) and other advanced drilling techniques.
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Designed for high-specification wells in regions like the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Angola, and the Mediterranean.
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Recent Activity:
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Completed a drilling campaign in Egypt for ExxonMobil, contributing to a new gas discovery, and moved to Cyprus in February 2025 for further operations.
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Previously awarded a two-year contract with ExxonMobil offshore Angola, starting in June 2022.
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Reactivated from preservation stack in the Canary Islands for the Angola contract.
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The Valaris DS-9 is part of Valaris’s fleet of 13 drillships, noted for its technical capability in ultra-deepwater markets.
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Its design and equipment make it versatile for complex projects, including exploration and development wells in deepwater basins.
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Exact tonnages, power ratings, and detailed equipment specs (e.g., mud pump capacity, drawworks horsepower) are not fully disclosed in public sources. For precise technical details, contacting Valaris directly or consulting their fleet documentation would be necessary.
New York-listed offshore driller Valaris has been awarded new deals for its rigs, increasing the company’s backlog to approximately $4.2bn.
US supermajor ExxonMobil exercised a six-month price option for the 2015-built Valaris DS-9 drillship. The option will begin in January 2026 in direct continuation of the existing firm program. The rig has been under hire by ExxonMobil since 2022.
The rig is currently operating off Cyprus but is expected to return to its original working destination off Angola in the third quarter of 2025.
The 2009-built jackup Valaris 117 won a 545-day contract with an undisclosed operator offshore Trinidad. The contract is set to begin in the third quarter of 2026. According to the company’s fleet status report, the operating day rate is in line with recent market rates in the region. The contract includes a 185-day priced option. The rig is currently working for Eni off Mexico and is expected to remain there until January next year.
Another jackup won a deal with an undisclosed client. This time, it was the Valaris 248, which will operate in the North Sea. The contract is for 730 days and is expected to begin in November 2025.
Five jackups leased to ARO Drilling, Valaris 116, 140, 141, 146, and 250 – won five-year bareboat charter agreements extensions for drilling operations off Saudi Arabia.
The extensions for the Valaris 116, 140, 146, and 250 are effective from May 2025, and the Valaris 141 will start from August 2025, in direct continuation of their existing charters.
The Valaris 116 and 250 are expected to be out of service at zero rate for approximately six months each from October 2025 to March 2026 to complete special periodic surveys and major equipment recertifications. These out-of-service periods are included within each rig’s charter duration.
The company previously announced that the semisubs Valaris DPS-3, DPS-5, and DPS-6 would either be repurposed for alternative uses outside the drilling sector or scrapped. The driller has revealed that it sold the trio for recycling and retired them from service. Total sales proceeds were approximately $10m.
Along with several contracts Splash already reported on between the previous fleet status report issued in February and now, the new contracts and contract extensions amount to a backlog of approximately $1bn.
As a result, the contract backlog increased to approximately $4.2bn from approximately $3.6bn as of February 18, 2025. The contract backlog excludes lump sum payments such as mobilisation fees and capital reimbursements.
The post New rig deals boost Valaris backlog to $4.2bn appeared first on Energy News Beat.
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