About Aker Drilling
Aker Drilling is a fully integrated offshore drilling contractor, owning two of the world‘s largest, most advanced and most robust 6th generation semi-submersible drilling units of the Aker H6-e design, Aker Barents and Aker Spitsbergen.
These semi-submersible drilling rigs are built for safe and efficient operation year-round in harsh environment and ultra deep waters worldwide – including Norwegian and sub-Arctic regions. Aker Barents and Aker Spitsbergen have been in operation since July 2009 and January 2010, respectively. Aker Barents and Aker Spitsbergen are currently on long-term drilling contracts on the Norwegian Continental Shelf with Det norske oljeselskap ASA and Statoil ASA (on behalf of the Norne, Asgard and Heidrun licence), respectively. Under current contracts, Aker Barents has successfully been subleased to Shell, Exxon Mobil and Gaz de France. Since start-up, both rigs have demonstrated rapidly increasing performance, and received excellent customer feedback. The rigs have attracted great interest from the market, and this response confirms that Aker Drilling has succeeded in meeting oil company requirements with new and modern drilling units for complex and demanding drilling operations.
Aker Drilling is based in Stavanger, Norway, and employs approximately 440 employees, of which 400 employed offshore. The Company has constructed a competent and experienced organisation based on solid values. Long experience and strong focus on operating excellence and health, safety and environment (“HSE”) characterise both the management and the operating organisation. Together with ultra-modern rigs, Aker Drilling can thereby offer the highest standards of safety for people and the environment.
Aker Drilling, through its wholly owned subsidiary Aker Drilling Offshore Services Public Ltd., has entered into a turn key, EPC contract with Deawoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (the “DSME Shipyard”) for the construction of two 6th generation ultra deepwater drillships, and options for two additional 6th generation ultra deepwater drillships, to be built at the DSME Shipyard. The first firm newbuild shall be delivered on or prior to expiry of October 2013, whereas the second firm newbuild shall be delivered on or prior to expiry of December 2013.
