Drillship newbuilding orders are expected to hit record-high this year.
To date in 2011, 17 drillships were inked worldwide, all at South Korean big 3 shipbuilders.
Samsung Heavy Industries booked seven, Hyundai Heavy Industries six and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering four.
The figure is already nearing 19 orders recorded in the entire 2008.
Considering optional contracts and expectation that drillship orders would go on amid high oil prices, new record of drillship orders looks almost certain for 2011.
Industry pundits forecast drillship order binge to reach 30.
Samsung and Daewoo have four optional contracts each and Hyundai has three optional orders.
Hyundai is also expected to sign a LOI for two drillships with Norway's Odfjell Offshore.
Meanwhile, some claim that drillship order spree is nearing to an end as speculative orders related to Brazil's Petrobras are not expected to continue any further.