Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (Keppel O&M) has delivered its KFELS Super B Class jackup drilling rig to Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc (Diamond Offshore).
The Ocean Shield marks the 20th KFELS B Class drilling rig constructed by Keppel FELS since the launch of this design in 2000. It will also be the first of two KFELS B Class designed rigs commissioned by Diamond Offshore in 2005. The second is being built by Keppel FELS sister company, Keppel AmFELS in .
The KFELS Super B Class rigs are an enhanced version of the KFELS B Class and are equipped with cantilever skid-off capabilities and high capacity hook loads of two million pounds for operation in extreme high-temperature and high-pressure wells.
The Ocean Shield will be capable of operating in water depths of up to 350 feet.
The rig is currently preparing for its first assignment. Additionally, Diamond Offshore’s Victory-class semi-submersible, the Ocean Monarch, is being upgraded to an ultra deepwater drilling unit, capable of drilling in water depths of up to 10,000 feet, at Keppel FELS and is due for completion late in 2008.