MES Delivers FPSO Hull to MODEC
Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) delivered the hull of a floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO) for MODEC, Inc. The FPSO hull sailed out from MES’ Chiba Shipyard on February 27, 2015. The FPSO will be chartered to a consortium formed by Petrobras (45%), BG Group (30%) and Repsol Sinopec Brasil S.A. (25%) after topside integration and commissioning work by MODEC. This is MES’ second FPSO hull, following Kerr-Mcggy Global Producer III delivered in 2000.
Four Companies Proceed with FPSO Chartering Project
MODEC, Inc., Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Marubeni Corporation have agreed that Mitsui, MOL and Marubeni will invest in a long-term charter business currently promoted by MODEC for the purpose of providing a floating production, storage and offloading system (FPSO) for use in the Carioca area of a pre-salt oil field off the coast of Brazil. The four companies have entered into definitive agreements today. Based on these agreements, Mitsui, MOL and Marubeni will invest in Carioca MV27 B.V., a Dutch company established by MODEC, and the Companies will proceed with the Project jointly. MV27 has signed a long-term chartering agreement for the deployment of the vessel by the BM-S-9 Consortium – Petrobras (45%), BG Group (30%) and Repsol Sinopec Brasil S.A. (25%).
Ocean Rig Updates on Financing, Newbuildings & Contracts
The Company announced that it has signed a supplemental agreement to amend certain provisions in its $1.35b Senior Secured Facility dated February 28, 2013. “We are pleased that our syndicate of commercial banks and export credit agencies agreed to our request to amend certain provisions in their facility. The Company announced that on August 20, 2013, it successfully took delivery of its newbuilding drillship the Ocean Rig Mylos. The Ocean Rig Mylos is the first in the series of three 7th Generation Ultra Deepwater Drillships the Company expects to take delivery in 2013. The drillship is currently mobilizing to offshore Brazil and is expected to commence drilling operations under the 3-year drilling contract with Repsol Sinopec Brasil S.A. by November 2013.
DryShips: Ocean Rig Financing, Fleet and Contract Developments
DryShips Inc., a global provider of marine transportation services for drybulk and petroleum cargos, through its majority owned subsidiary, Ocean Rig UDW Inc., an offshore deepwater drilling service company, made several company announcements. Ocean Rig announced that it has signed a supplemental agreement to amend certain provisions in its $1.35 billion Senior Secured Facility dated February 28, 2013. Under the terms of the agreement, the existing dividend restriction of up to 50% of preceding fiscal year net income will be amended to apply on a cumulative basis from July 1, 2013 onwards (50% of cumulative net income and 100% of cumulative losses) and include a carve-out to pay additional dividends up to the higher of $150m and 5% of the Ocean Rig's net tangible assets.
Petrobas Action Ten Brazil Contracts for FPSO Modules
Petrobras subsidiaries Tupi BV and Guará BV, together with consortium members BG Group, Petrogal Brasil, and Repsol Sinopec Brasil SA, have given the go-ahead for ten contracts totaling US$4.5 billion for the construction of the first six topside modules (processing plant, utilities and living quarters) for eight identical (“Replicant”) FPSOs (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading units). The modules are to be constructed in Brazil for pre-salt projects (a geophysical layer) in Santos Basin blocks BM-S-9 and BM-S-11. The contracts will be signed in the next few days.
