DSME celebrates another drillship contract

Seoul: Atwood Oceanics Inc. (ATW) on Monday said it has ordered a $600 million ultra-deep-water drillship, the latest in a flurry of orders by contract drillers betting that high oil prices will push producers into increasingly deep waters.
Houston-based Atwood also said that it has options with South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to buy two additional drillships.
Atwood's purchase brings to 11 the number of drillships and semisubmersible rigs that have been ordered since the end of September, a serious bonanza for Korean yards. Along with those firm orders, eight companies have disclosed options for 14 more vessels capable of drilling in up to 10,000 feet of water.
Atwood's new ship, the Atwood Advantage, is expected to be delivered in September 2013.   [01/02/11]