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.