DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Ocean Rig UDW Inc., intends to offer through a private placement, subject to market and other conditions, approximately $500m worth of shares of Ocean Rig’s common stock. The offering will be made to Norwegian professional investors and eligible counterparties as defined in the Norwegian Securities Trading Regulation 10-2 to 10-4, to non-United States persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and in a concurrent private placement in the United States only to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. The offering is expected to close in December 2010.