Offshore drilling rig owner Northern Ocean has won a contract for its 2019-built semisub Deepsea Bollsta in Namibia.
The spin-off of John Fredriksen-controlled Northern Drilling said the contract, with a major operator, industry sources suggest could be Chevron, is for one well campaign expected to last about 63 days.
The rig, managed by Odfjell Drilling, has been operating within the Orange Basin in Namibia for 18 months. The unit is scheduled for a five-year class survey before the contract kicks in, likely in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The Deepsea Bollsta had been working for Shell in Namibia, but the operator opted out of its extension choice late last year which would have kept the rig employed to December 2024.
With the new contract award for Deepsea Bollsta and the current drilling contract for the Deepsea Mira, the company has an estimated aggregate revenue backlog between $80m and $95m, excluding bonuses, reimbursables and undeclared options, Northern Ocean said in a filing, adding that it continues to be in talks to secure more contract work for both rigs.
