Several offshore drilling contractors have reported operational milestones, contract awards and fleet developments in recent days, highlighting continued activity across key offshore markets including Egypt, Brazil, Norway and Saudi Arabia.
According to company announcements, the updates include deepwater drilling achievements, presalt well delivery, a long-term North Sea plug and abandonment assignment, and the reactivation of previously suspended jackup rigs.
Stena drillship completes Egypt campaignStena Drilling reported on its LinkedIn that the Stena IceMAX drillship completed a three-well campaign offshore Egypt that included two development wells through completion and testing, as well as an exploration well in a new field in the country's Western Mediterranean region.
The campaign spanned water depths ranging from 256 m to 2,810 m, establishing both the shallowest and deepest operating water depths recorded for the drillship. Stena also said the shallow-water operation required management of narrow watch circles, complex riser analyses and enhanced dynamic positioning procedures, while the deepwater section involved deployment of 112 marine riser joints during BOP installation.
According to the company, Stena IceMAX achieved 99.5% uptime and completed the overall program ahead of schedule. The rig is expected to remain in the region for work with a new client.
Valaris advances Raia project offshore Brazil
Valaris also announced on its LinkedIn that the VALARIS DS-17 drillship successfully delivered the first well under the Raia project offshore Brazil. The company described the well as one of the country's most challenging presalt drilling operations.
Valaris said execution of the well required detailed planning and coordination among the project team and was completed 18.5 days ahead of target, creating momentum for the remainder of the campaign.
ADES receives notices to resume suspended Saudi offshore rigs
ADES Holding Co. announced that it has received resumption notices for all of its temporarily suspended offshore rigs in Saudi Arabia, a development the company said reflects strengthening offshore market fundamentals.
According to ADES, contracted jackup utilization remains about 90%, while day rates continue to hold firm. The company noted that the market environment supports demand for premium offshore drilling assets and positions ADES to benefit from the recovery in activity.Noble secures North Sea P&A contractNoble Corp. reported on its LinkedIn last week that it has been awarded a contract by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS for the ultra-harsh environment Noble Interceptor jackup rig. The rig will perform plug and abandonment work in the Greater Ekofisk Area offshore Norway.
The contract is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2027 and carries an estimated duration of 670 days. Noble described the award as the start of a new relationship with ConocoPhillips on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
The award adds to a growing backlog of North Sea well abandonment work as operators continue to retire mature assets across the region.
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