By Jite Eriabie
Transocean has announced its plan to scrap six deepwater and ultra-deepwater floating drilling rigs, aka “floaters”, as the offshore drilling company continues to shed older and less-competitive rigs from its fleet.
The floaters to be retired include the ultra-deepwater floaters GSF Jack Ryan, Sedco Energy, Sedco Express, Cajun Express, and Deepwater Pathfinder, and the deepwater floater Transocean Marianas. The rigs will be classified as held for sale and will be recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.
All six rigs were previously cold stacked.
Transocean says it will recognize an impairment charge of approximately $1.4 billion during the third quarter of 2017 as a result of the sale.
“We continue to enhance the quality of our fleet through the addition of new, high-specification assets, and the retirement of older, less competitive rigs,” said Jeremy Thigpen, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We remain committed to providing our customers with the most technically capable and highest quality ultra-deepwater and harsh environment assets in the industry, and will continue to objectively evaluate our rigs and high-grade our fleet as the market evolves.”
Following the retirement and sale of the six rigs, Transocean will own and operate a fleet of 38 mobile offshore drilling units consisting of 25 ultra-deepwater floaters, seven harsh environment floaters, two deepwater floaters and four midwater floaters.
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