Ensco PLC has taken delivery of the ultradeepwater Ensco 8504 semisubmersible drilling rig from Keppel FELS Ltd. in Singapore and will prepare it for work off Brunei.
The unit will undergo sea trials and final outfitting before starting work off Brunei for Total E&P Deep Offshore Borneo BV. The contract is for the drilling of three exploration wells over at least 180 days. Total has four options to extend the contract.
The semi is the fifth of seven comparable rigs Keppel FELS is building for Ensco.
With 2 million lb of hoisting capacity and variable deck load capacity of 8,000 tons, it can drill to 35,000 ft and be modified to drill and complete wells in as much as 10,000 ft of water.
