Offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation has won a new short-term assignment for one of its jack-up rigs, which will undertake drilling activities off the coast of Norway for DNO Norge, a subsidiary of DNO, a Norwegian oil and gas operator. The short-term engagement will see the Noble Invincible, previously known as Maersk Invincible, a jack-up rig owned by Noble, deployed for an exploration drill on the PL1086, positioned offshore Norway, commencing in August 2024, according to Offshore Energy.
This latest assignment leverages the Noble Invincible's advanced capabilities to navigate the ultra-harsh conditions of the North Sea, with the drilling effort slated for an exploration well expected to unfold over a span of 40 days. The operation is carefully timed to fit within a brief hiatus in the Noble Invincible’s schedule amidst its existing commitments with Aker BP, under the Aker BP Jack-up Alliance.
Before this contract takes effect, the Noble Invincible is scheduled to undergo a two-week period of Blowout Preventer (BOP) upgrades to meet operational requirements, after which, it will resume activities for Aker BP in October 2024. These upcoming endeavors are a continuation of the rig’s service under a frame agreement initially established with Maersk Drilling in 2017 for the Aker BP Jack-up Alliance, which also incorporated Halliburton.
The Noble Invincible, constructed in 2014 by Gusto MSC, is a CJ70 X150 MD jack-up rig characterized by its capability for year-round operation in the North Sea and compatibility with onshore power sources. The rig is designed to accommodate 179 personnel and operate at a water depth of up to 492 feet, with a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet.
Noble Corporation's recent contract with DNO Norge contributes to its accumulation of over $500 million in new contract awards since November 2023. As a result, the company's total backlog has reached $4.6 billion. Noble Corporation has also projected its total revenue for the year 2024 to be between $2.55 and $2.7 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA ranging from $925 to $1,025 million, indicating solid financial and operational performance in the upcoming period.