Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras on Friday signed an agreement with Sete Brasil for the construction of six drilling rigs in the South American nation.
Petrobras has approved construction of six new semi-submersible drilling rigs in a contract with its independent holding company, Sete Brasil.
The rigs will be built at the BrasFELS Shipyard in Angra dos Reis, and will be delivered starting in 2016, a securities filing said.
The semi-subs are a part of a lot of 21 rigs that Petrobras had previously contracted Sete Brasil to build in an agreement signed 9 February.
The degree of locally made content of the rigs will fluctuate between 55 percent and 65 percent, the filing added.
The rigs will carry out well-drilling activities in the pre-salt layer of Santos basin and will be capable of operating at a water depth of 3000 metres, with the capacity to drill wells of up to 10,000 metres.
After construction, the rigs will be chartered to Petrobras for 15 years. Three of the rigs will be operated by Petroserv, two by QGOG and the other by Odebrecht O&G.
Back in April, 2012 - Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), through its subsidiaries, Keppel FELS Brasil S.A. and Estaleiro BrasFELS Ltda, has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Sete Brasil Participações S.A. (Sete Brasil), for the design and construction of five additional semi-submersible (semi) drilling rigs based on Keppel's proprietary DSSTM 38E design.
The total value of the contracts, if and when successfully agreed and executed between Keppel O&M and Sete Brasil, will be approximately US$4.12 billion.
Earlier in December 2011, Keppel O&M secured one semi to be built to the same DSSTM 38E design from Sete Brasil.
Like the first rig, the additional five rigs are intended to support Brazil's exploration of its vast proven offshore oil and gas resources.