SIGNAL International has been chosen to manufacture key components for use in a drillship reliability upgrade programme being implemented by Noble Corporation. Houston-headquartered Signal said the $50million agreement covered three Noble drillships – Noble Leo Segerius, Noble Muravlenko and Noble Roger Eason – and that it would fabricate the components at its shipyards in Mississippi and Texas.
Expectation is that more that 1,000 employees will work on this project, including about 800 in Texas and 200 in Mississippi. The task will start within weeks. Once completed, the components will be shipped to Brazil for installation. The project will include equipping the Noble trio, all on contract to Petrobras, with DP2 technology, along with new power-management systems, generators and thrusters. This will be accomplished by the fabrication of a new stern section that will house all new generators, switchgear and thrusters. Noble also plans for its three drillships to be fitted with new sponsons, extra thrusters, a new accommodation block and new heliport.