Keppel to Make its Mark in Qatar

Keppel FELS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore and Marine Ltd, will deliver its first Jack Up Drilling Rig ahead of schedule by the end of this year to Qatar's national drilling company, the Gulf Drilling International (GDI), the company's officials announced in Singapore recently. Built to Keppel's proprietary KFELS B Class design, the first rig has been named Al Khor, after one of Qatar's historical cities which has contributed to the development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the country in recent years. The second rig will be delivered in end 2007.

Al Khor has been built to GDI's specifications for operations in water depths of up to 300 feet and drilling depth of down to 30,000 feet. The rig can accommodate up to 110 men and is readily upgradeable for higher drilling capabilities in water depths of up to 400 feet. When delivered, it will contribute to the development of Qatar's LNG industry, as the country strives to become the world's largest LNG exporter by 2012. Source: the peninsula