Atwood Beacon News

Atwood Oceanics sadi that one of its subsidiaries has been awarded a drilling services contract by Shemen Oil and Gas Resources Ltd., an Israel-based oil and gas company, for the Atwood Beacon. The day rate for work offshore will be $151,000, with contract commencement expected in September 2012 in direct continuation of the current contract. The costs for the mobilization will be covered by provisions in the current rig sharing group contract. The award has a firm duration of 180 days. With the award of this contract, the firm contractual commitments for the Atwood Beacon are expected to extend through February 2013.

Keppel Corp.'s AMFELS Inc unit in Brownsville, Texas, won a $83 million contract to build a new jack-up rig for Mexican company Perforadora Central S.A. de C.V. Due for delivery in the first quarter of 2004, this rig is the fourth MOD V "B" class ordered in two years. The first "B" class, Chiles Discovery has just been delivered in Singapore. Its sister rig Chiles Galileo, being built in AMFELS for the same owner Chiles Offshore Inc is due in September 2002. The third vessel, Atwood Beacon, is currently under construction in Singapore for Atwood Oceanics Pacific Limited and is expected to be delivered in June 2003. "This new generation rig looks set to become the rig of choice to replace the aging jack-up rigs that have been built in the 70/80s when they retire.

AMFELS Inc, the US wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore’s Keppel Corporation Limited through Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd, has laid the keel for new jack-up rig, Tonala, one month ahead of schedule. The $83 million contract for the rig was signed in April 2002 with Mexican company, Perforadora Central SA de CV. Tonala is a KFELS MOD V “B” class jack-up, enhanced with Keppel’s proprietary jacking and fixation systems developed by its research and technology arm, Offshore Technology Development. At the keel laying ceremony, Mr Ricardo Cortina Cardenas, Vice President for Marine Drilling Division of Perforadora Central said, “We are very pleased with the progress of the construction of Tonala, which is ahead of schedule.

Schat-Harding, a maker of lifeboats and davits, reported a strong orderbook in the third quarter of 2004, with orders totaling $16 million booked, driven by strong demand from passenger ships, offshore rigs, LNG and ice-class tankers and naval vessels. Key passenger ship orders included six CTL38 cruise tenders and 14 MPC32 compact cruise lifeboats with PD davits for two MSC newbuildings at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, eight MPC32 boats and VIP davits for a series of RoPax building at Italy's Visenti yard, and two MPC32 boats with davits for the lengthening of the RCCL Enchantment of the Seas. Offshore orders included two KISS800 systems for the Atwood Beacon rig, four KISS boats and davits for Pemex and two MCB 600 boats for the Dolphin Energy project.