Second Globetrotter Drillship Built to ABS

The second in Noble Drilling's Globetrotter-class drillship series is being built to ABS class. The Noble Globetrotter II, like the first unit, is a dynamically positioned ultra deepwater drillship featuring the compact Huisman drilling design package.

South Korea's STX Heavy Industries will be constructing the hull which will be delivered to the Netherlands where Huisman Equipment will oversee the installation and commissioning of the topside equipment. ABS will once again be reviewing the design and providing full classification of the unit once constructed.

When the design was unveiled in 2008, its compactness, due to optimized integration of the drilling equipment into the vessel, drew favorable comments. A compact box-type drilling tower instead of a conventional derrick allows for a smaller-sized hull form compared to other drillships with similar capacities. The engine room arrangement is also unconventional with its placement forward, underneath the accommodation unit similar to many offshore construction vessels but unusual on drillships - until Noble Globetrotter I.

The Noble Globetrotter II will measure 620 ft long and 105 ft wide. The unit is capable of 40,000 foot drilling depth with dynamic positioning DPS-3 stationkeeping ability. The unit has 18,000 tons of variable deck load and can accommodate 180 personnel. This second unit is slated to commence operations in the second half of 2013.