14 Jul 2016

Keppel AmFELS delivers fifth jackup rig to Perforadora Central

Keppel AmFELS LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) in the U.S., has delivered Uxpanapa, a KFELS B Class jackup rig, to Mexico's Central Panuco S.A. De C.V. (Central Panuco), a subsidiary of Mexico's Perforadora Central S.V. De C.V. on time and within budget.

The rig was christened yesterday at Keppel AmFELS' yard in Brownsville, Texas by the owners of Central Panuco.

Uxpanapa is the the fifth jackup rig built by Keppel AmFELS for Perforadora Central and the second based on Keppel's proprietary KFELS B Class design.

Mr Simon Lee, President of Keppel AmFELS, said at the ceremony, "The delivery of this fifth jackup rig to Central Panuco to their highest satisfaction is a result of our close partnership backed by the yard's strong capabilities. We are proud to be Central Panuco's choice shipyard as they grow their fleet of rigs to be a premier rig operator in the region.

"As the most established shipyard in the Gulf of Mexico, we are able to understand and meet the needs of our customers. Our strong position in the gulf coupled with our execution expertise enable us to support rig owners in the region with a wide variety of solutions, including newbuilds, repairs and conversions."

Uxpanapa will be chartered by PEMEX, the Mexican national oil company, for work in offshore Mexico. Keppel AmFELS' past collaboration with PEMEX includes having built two 220 Men accommodation modules for Pemex in 2006, as well as repairing and servicing a total of 18 rigs for various drilling operators that have been chartered by PEMEX over the years.

Mr Patricio Alvarez Morphy Orvañanos, Senior Vice President of Central Panuco added, "We are pleased to receive the Uxpanapa, another high quality jackup rig from Keppel AmFELS on time and on budget. In the current challenging market conditions, oil companies such as PEMEX prefer highly cost-efficient and reliable equipment such as the KFELS B Class jackup rig which has a proven track record operating in Mexico. The Tonala, our current KFELS B Class jackup, has been performing outstandingly for PEMEX.

"As we grow our presence in the Gulf of Mexico, we are glad to be able to count on Keppel AmFELS as our preferred yard in providing excellent services and offshore rig solutions that are well-regarded by our customers."

Keppel AmFELS previously completed Tonala, an ultra premium KFELS B Class jackup, for Perforadora Central in 2004, followed by three LeTourneau S116E rigs, namely Tuxpan in 2010, Papaloapan in 2013 and Coatzacoalcos in 2014.

As a group, Keppel O&M is the leading rig provider to the Mexican market, having delivered 16 projects, including this latest rig, with another four on order for Mexico.

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About Perforadora Central
Perforadora Central is a Mexican company established in 1959 and has worked in both exploratory and developmental oil drilling, mainly for Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), in addition to obtaining international experience in drilling wells. Perforadora Central was one of the first private-sector drilling companies in Mexico, initially working onshore. Today, Perforadora Central specialises in offshore drilling to cater to existing market needs.

About Keppel AmFELS
Keppel AmFELS is a subsidiary of Keppel O&M, a wholly-owned company of Keppel Corporation Limited. Located in Brownsville, Texas, Keppel AmFELS reinforces Keppel O&M's presence in the Gulf of Mexico and its strategy to be near its markets and customers.

Since its establishment in 1990, Keppel AmFELS has built up its facilities and equipment to become the most well equipped offshore shipyard in the Gulf of Mexico. The yard engages in the construction, refurbishment, conversion, life extension and repair of a complete range of mobile drilling rigs and platforms. Spread over 165 acres, its comprehensive facilities are world class and include a drydock capable of docking the largest semisubmersible drilling units, and a modern steel processing plant.

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