15 Apr 2010

Keppel delivers 3^rd Maersk DSS^TM 21 semisubmersible 43 days early

Keppel FELS Ltd (Keppel FELS) has delivered the third DSS^TM 21 deepwater semisubmersible (semi) drilling rig to Maersk Drilling (Maersk) 43 days ahead of schedule and with a perfect safety record, garnering a bonus of US$400,000.

Mr Claus V. Hemmingsen, CEO of Maersk Drilling said, “The Maersk-Keppel partnership, spanning decades, has achieved considerable milestones.

“Now, with the addition of Maersk Deepwater Semi III, our high-specification DSS^TM 21 rig fleet which is in the league of some of the world’s most advanced deepwater rigs will help position Maersk Drilling as the leading offshore solutions provider in the industry.

“We are pleased with the consistently excellent performance Keppel FELS has demonstrated, to continuously improve construction of the series of rigs.”

Mr Tong Chong Heong, CEO of Keppel O&M, said, “We are proud to be Maersk’s preferred partner for its fleet expansion plans. The safe and early completion of Maersk Deepwater Semi III attests to the astute choice made by Maersk to build the premium fleet with Keppel FELS, as well as the solidarity and calibre of our teams working hand in glove with one another.

“The success of this Series of semis is built upon our long term partnership with thought-leading operators such as Maersk, who have provided the necessary platforms for our technologies to gain market ascendance.

“At Keppel O&M, we are focused on providing quality solutions to meet the emerging challenges in deeper waters and harsher environments. We will continue to grow and leverage our technology capabilities to better serve our customers’ needs. We are confident that this high quality rig will deliver the highest performance as had its predecessors.”

Keppel O&M is the only shipyard group in the world to have its own suite of proprietary deepwater rig designs. Jointly developed and owned by the Keppel’s Deepwater Technology Group and Marine Structure Consultants, the DSS^TM Series of deepwater rigs are designed for maximum uptime with reduced emissions and discharges.

"The demand for modern drillings rigs has increased over the past years concurrently with the growing technical challenges we are faced with in the drilling industry. The search for new finds is moving to deeper waters and areas with complex soil conditions and more advanced drilling rigs are needed to meet those challenges. Our ultra deepwater semisubmersibles are well equipped to meet this demand,” Mr Claus V. Hemmingsen, CEO of Maersk Drilling added.

DSS^TM Series rigs are highly cost effective exploration units capable of drilling down 10,000 m (30,000 ft) wells and operating at a water depth of 3,000 m (10,000 ft). The Series also features a dynamic positioning system, with the ability to attach to a prelaid mooring system.

DSS^TM Series rigs are particularly well suited to drill deep and complicated wells in areas such as offshore West Africa, Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia, and may be further customised to meet the unique challenges of each location.


About Maersk

Maersk Drilling is part of the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group and is a significant drilling contractor and supplier of floating production solutions. It has a fleet of 26 drilling rigs which includes the fleet of three DSS^TM 21 deepwater development semisubmersibles constructed by Keppel FELS.


About Keppel FELS

Keppel FELS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), a wholly-owned company of Keppel Corporation Limited. Keppel O&M is a leader in offshore rig design, construction and repair, ship repair and conversion and specialised shipbuilding. Its near market, near customer strategy is bolstered by a global network of 20 yards and offices in the Asia Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, the Caspian Sea, Middle East and the North Sea regions.

For further information, please contact

Ms Diana Chan
Senior Executive
Keppel Group Corporate Communications
Tel: +65 64136 430
Email: diana.chan@kepcorp.com

Attachments:

Sealing the delivery of the DSS^TM 21 Maersk deepwater semisubmersible rig are Mr Wong Kok Seng (second from right), Executive Director of Keppel FELS and Mr Gregers Kudsk (second from left), Technical Vice President of Maersk Drilling, witnessed by Mr Tong Chong Heong, CEO of Keppel O&M and Mr Frederik Smidth, Chief Technical Officer of Maersk Drilling.

Keppel FELS has delivered the third DSS^TM 21 deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig to Maersk Drilling 43 days ahead of schedule and with a perfect safety record, garnering a bonus of US$400,000.

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