Offshore drilling contractors Seadrill and Gulf Drilling International (GDI) have entered into a 50/50 joint venture, GulfDrill, which will initially manage and operate five premium jackups in Qatar with Qatar Petroleum commencing throughout 2020.
The five firm well based contracts will have staggered commencements throughout 2020 with initial terms concluding in 2023 and 2024 respectively. The total contract value is expected to be $656 million (including mobilization fees). Each contract has five single well options which could add up to an estimated 13.7 cumulative years of term and an additional contract value of $700 million.
GulfDrill will initially bareboat charter the West Telesto and West Castor from Seadrill and has secured bareboat charters for three additional units from a third-party shipyard.
Anton Dibowitz, Seadrill CEO, said, "We are excited to establish a significant presence in an important Jackup market and to partner with GDI. GulfDrill will give us the opportunity to improve our access to a market that is expected to show significant growth over the next years and strengthen our relationship with Qatar Petroleum."