Keppel AmFELS LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) in the U.S., has delivered Uxpanapa, a KFELS B Class jackup rig, to Mexico's Central Panuco S.A. De C.V. (Central Panuco), a subsidiary of Mexico's Perforadora Central S.V. De C.V. on time and within budget.
The rig was christened yesterday at Keppel AmFELS' yard in Brownsville, Texas by the owners of Central Panuco.
Uxpanapa is the the fifth jackup rig built by Keppel AmFELS for Perforadora Central and the second based on Keppel's proprietary KFELS B Class design.
Uxpanapa will be chartered by PEMEX, the Mexican national oil company, for work in offshore Mexico. Keppel AmFELS' past collaboration with PEMEX includes having built two 220 Men accommodation modules for Pemex in 2006, as well as repairing and servicing a total of 18 rigs for various drilling operators that have been chartered by PEMEX over the years.
Keppel AmFELS previously completed Tonala, an ultra premium KFELS B Class jackup, for Perforadora Central in 2004, followed by three LeTourneau S116E rigs, namely Tuxpan in 2010, Papaloapan in 2013 and Coatzacoalcos in 2014.
As a group, Keppel O&M is the leading rig provider to the Mexican market, having delivered 16 projects, including this latest rig, with another four on order for Mexico.
About Perforadora Central
Perforadora Central is a Mexican company established in 1959 and has worked in both exploratory and developmental oil drilling, mainly for Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), in addition to obtaining international experience in drilling wells. Perforadora Central was one of the first private-sector drilling companies in Mexico, initially working onshore. Today, Perforadora Central specialises in offshore drilling to cater to existing market needs.
About Keppel AmFELS
Keppel AmFELS is a subsidiary of Keppel O&M, a wholly-owned company of Keppel Corporation Limited. Located in Brownsville, Texas, Keppel AmFELS reinforces Keppel O&M's presence in the Gulf of Mexico and its strategy to be near its markets and customers.