Maersk signs rig contract with Faroe Petroleum

Maersk Drilling, a unit of Danish shipping and oil group A.P. Moller-Maersk, and Faroe Petroleum, have signed a new rig contract, Faroe Petroleum said on Tuesday. The contract would secure the Maersk Guardian jack-up rig to drill the Clapton prospect in late 2011 or early 2012, the oil and gas company said in a statement. Earlier this month, Faroe Petroleum was approved by the Norwegian authorities and its licence partners as the operator of licence PL440S, where the Clapton exploration well has been committed, it said.