The second and third of four super-drillships ordered by Maersk Drilling have been christened together at the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) shipyard in Geoje-Si, South Korea.
The first of the sisters, Maersk Viking was officially named late last summer.
Lisa Lance, wife of Ryan Lance, chairman and chief executive officer, ConocoPhillips christened the Maersk Valiant, while Annell Bay, VP global exploration at Marathon Oil, named the Maersk Venturer.
The four ultra-deepwater units represent a total investment of $2.6billion and will be delivered by SHI this year.
Following completion, trials and hand-over, Maersk Valiant will start a three-year firm contract with ConocoPhillips and Marathon Oil for drilling campaigns in the US Gulf of Mexico.
The contract includes options for up to an additional two years. The estimated contract value for the firm contract is $694million including mobilisation, but excluding cost escalation.
A contract for Maersk Venturer is not yet signed and it is not clear as to when negotiations with an undisclosed party will complete.
Maersk Drilling’s CEO, Claus V Hemmingsen said at the ceremony: “We have an ambition of growing our business activities in the ultra-deepwater market.
“With Maersk Valiant going to the US Gulf of Mexico to work for ConocoPhillips and Marathon Oil, Maersk Drilling will then operate three rigs in the region.
“We are well on our way to becoming a significant drilling contractor in that market since we entered it in 2009.”
The 228m length overall P12000 class sisters are broadly similar to the many other ultra-deepwater drillships ordered over the past five years or so.
Measuring more than 60,000 tons gross, they carry Nov dual-derrick drill packages and have designed drill depth capability of 12,000m (40,000ft) in water depths to 3,600m (12,000ft). The variable deck load capacity is 20,000t.
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