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The brainchild of Jurong Shipyard, Noble and Friede & Goldman, the Friede & Goldman JU3000N design jackup rigs will have an enlarged hull for more operational benefits including ergonomic and efficient accommodation layout, increased deck space and strategic placement of equipment for enhanced efficiency and safety during operations. On completion, these new rigs will be capable of operating in waters of 400 feet and drilling to depths of 30,000 feet. Mr. Don Lee, Senior General Manager, Jurong Shipyard’s Offshore Division said “We are pleased that Noble has chosen to exercise these two rig options and has opted for two additional units ahead of time as demand for efficient and high-specification premium rigs is expected to continue. We are delighted to be selected by Noble and to partner them in their strategy to be one of the largest operators of modern, high specification jackup drilling rigs. We are committed to deliver all these rigs on time." Mr. David W. Williams, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble Corporation said, “We have opted to exercise these two jackup rig options earlier as we foresee client demand for technically advanced, versatile and efficient rigs in the offshore sector to increase and expand geographically. We have chosen to opt for two additional units as we believe our strategy of focusing on adding equipment with the latest technology, equipment and capabilities will position our company to benefit from future client demand and the offshore industry expansion. We look forward to the on-time and on-budget delivery of all six units under construction at Jurong." The contract is not expected to have any material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of Sembcorp Marine for the year ending December 31, 2011. About Noble Noble is a leading offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry. Noble performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of 78 offshore drilling units (including seven ultra-deepwater rigs and six jackup drilling rigs currently under construction), located worldwide, including in the Middle East, India, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, the Mediterranean, the North Sea, Brazil, West Africa and Asian Pacific. Noble’s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NE". Additional information on Noble Corporation is available via the worldwide web at http://www.noblecorp.com. About Jurong Shipyard Jurong Shipyard, a fully-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Marine, is a leading shipyard offering integrated services and customized solutions in ship repair, shipbuilding, ship conversion, rig building and offshore engineering to a world-wide clientele. Apart from its proven track record in the building and servicing of jack-up and semi-submersible rigs, Jurong Shipyard is also a global leader in the EPC conversion of tankers to floating production storage and offloading units (FPSOs), floating storage and offloading vessels (FSOs) and floating production units (FPUs). Sembcorp Marine |
Sembcorp Marine’s Jurong Shipyard signs us$444 million contract to build two premium jackup rigs and secures additional options to build another two jackups of similar design for Noble Corporation