PETROBRAS insists it is on schedule with its programme to recruit 40 deepwater mobile drilling units despite being late with publishing its five-year plan from 2009.
This follows reports that the Brazilian operator could push back tenders for 28 of the new-builds because of market conditions.
Petrobras issued a statement denying claims that delays were in the pipeline, even though the five-year plan was supposed to be issued in October. The new plan revises the company’s prior $112billion 2008-12 spending outlook.
It said: “Regarding the drilling rigs, in May, 2008, Petrobras announced its intent to hire 40 drill ships and semi-submersible drilling platforms to operate in deep and ultra-deep waters. The first 12 units will be delivered by 2012. The bidding of the remaining 28 units, expected to be built in Brazil, is not scheduled yet. This will not cause any delay to the start-up of these units, which is scheduled to occur only between 2013 and 2017.”