Keppel FELS secures $191m PetroVietnam jackup order

Hanoi: Keppel FELS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine, has secured a $191m contract from PetroVietnam Drilling Investment Corp for the construction of a jackup drilling rig similar to the recently delivered PV Drilling I rig (pictured).

The rig, to be named PV Drilling II, will also be built to the KFELS B Class design and is slated for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2009. The rig will have longer legs compared to PV Drilling I, will be capable of operating 375 ft of water and a drilling up to 30,000 ft. It will also be able to work in fields with operating requirements for 120 ft air gap

PV Drilling chairman, Do Dinh Luyen, said, "There is requirement for a substantial amount of exploration and development in the Vietnamese waters in the next few years. For us to meet the tight drilling schedule, we need a very reliable shipyard capable of timely delivery within budget. Through our experience with Keppel FELS in the design and construction of PV Drilling I, I am confident that we have made the right choice once again in selecting Keppel FELS for our second high performance jackup rig."

He added, "Our first new generation rig, PV Drilling I, has nearly completed her maiden drilling assignment, and has been lined up for her second operation. We are very pleased with her performance."  [29/05/07]