Maersk Drilling has won a £10.5million contract with Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC).
The ultra-deepwater Maersk Viking drillship will be used for the exploration well in Block 6-1 off the coast of South Korea.
Work in Korea expected to begin in June, lasting around 45 days, a direct continuation from another contract Maersk Drilling won with Brunei Shell Petroleum off Brunei Darussalam.
Chief operating officer Morten Kelstrup said: “We’re pleased to be awarded this contract with a new customer in the form of KNOC for their first-ever drillship operation and are confident in our ability to quickly start up operations in Korean jurisdiction after Maersk Viking moves on from its previous job.
“The rig and its crew have shown an impressive ability to always deliver safe and efficient operations, even during this challenging period marked by a global pandemic.”
The drillship is currently mobilising for the Brunei Shell job, which is expected to begin in March.
Maersk Viking has been warm stacked in Johor, Malaysia after completing a drilling campaign in the Bay of Bengal earlier this year.