Hyundai Heavy Industries won its 7th drillship newbuilding order this year.
Diamond Offshore Drilling has exercised a third option for a new ultra-deepwater drillship at the South Korean shipbuilder.
The newbuild contract is worth $610 million and is a follow-on from orders placed earlier this year by the US-based offshore driller for two similar drillships, named Ocean BlackHawk and Ocean BlackHornet, which are currently under construction at the yard.
The latest vessel, lined up for delivery in the second quarter of 2014, will have similar specifications to the existing newbuilds - including dynamic positioning capability and a seven ram blowout preventer – and will be capable of working in up to 12,000 feet of water.
Diamond Offshore chief executive Larry Dickerson said the addition of the third newbuild will give the contractor a fleet of eight drilling units capable of working in water depths of more than 10,000 feet.