ROWAN Companies has taken delivery of the first of a new class of super-jack-up – appropriately named the Rowan EXL 1.
The rig was built at the Keppel Offshore & Marine yard at Brownsville, Texas, where three further sisters are also in-build for the US drilling contractor.
Rowan EXL-1’s first assignment is a 10-month drilling contract with McMoRan Exploration in the US Gulf of Mexico.
The EXL is basically an enhanced LeTourneau Super 116E design capable of drilling under high pressure, high temperature and in extended-reach mode. It can operate in water depths to 107m (350ft) and can drill to a depth of 10,070m (35,000ft)
The other three EXL rigs are due for delivery in the third and fourth quarters, and in 2011.
Matt Ralls, Rowan’s president and CEO, said at the new rig’s handover: “With delivery of the first of our four EXL rigs under construction, half of our jack-up fleet will be high-spec rigs, which we define as rigs with hook-loads of two million pounds or more.
“We are seeing strong interest by operators in several markets for rigs with this capability, and all of our high-spec rigs are currently contracted.”
The company’s president, David Russell, added: “With the strengthening demand for higher-specification jack-ups for deep and difficult wells worldwide, the addition of the Rowan EXL rigs to our premium fleet will augment our asset base and boost our ability to meet the growing needs of our customers.
“As such, I am pleased that Keppel AmFELS has delivered the first of our four Rowan EXL rigs with a perfect safety record, on time and within budget.”