Maersk Drilling is planning to order more drillships to support its pledge to invest $5bn in eight new rigs over the next five years.
Chief executive Claus Hemmingsen said that drillships will be an integral part of the investment plan.
Drillships have an advantage because they are more efficient when it comes to exploration, said Mr Hemmingsen. Semi-submersible rigs are used for developing a field and preparing it for production.
Maersk Drilling already has four newbuilding drillships on order at Samsung Heavy Industries.