Fate of two delayed ex-Seadrill drillships still uncertain but owner sees improvement in deepwater market

John Frederiksen’s Northern Drilling, an offshore drilling contractor with a focus on ultra-deepwater environments, currently has no rigs in operation but it does have two new 7th generation ultra-deepwater drillships whose fate is still uncertain.

Incorporated in March 2017 for the purpose of ownership of offshore drilling rigs, Northern Drilling has two drillships, West Aquila and West Libra. The drillships, whose delivery has experienced numerous delays, are being preserved at South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) yard while their fate is being decided by the owner and the builder.