Keppel delivers 45th KFELS B Class jackup rig

Another 18 such rigs on order.

Keppel FELS has delivered the 45th KFELS B Class jackup rig since it launched the design in 2000, the company said in a release which noted that the milestone coincides with parent company Keppel Corporation’s 45th anniversary this year,

These KFELS B Class rigs make up more than 30% of the total jackups completed globally since 2000. The 45th rig was delivered to Arabian Drilling Company (ADC) 14 days ahead of schedule, on budget and with a perfect safety record. Keppel FELS was awarded an early delivery bonus of US$210,000.

Named ArabDrill 50 at a ceremony over the weekend, the rig will be chartered to Saudi Aramco for operations in offshore Saudi Arabia.

The innovative and cost-effective KFELS B Class jackup rig has proven to be the trusted, reliable workhorse of the industry, and has performed excellently in major offshore exploration and development programmes in various locations worldwide, Keppel said. It has been employed by some 20 international drilling operators in over 15 countries.

Mr Chow Yew Yuen, Chief Operating Officer of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) said, “We are pleased to have reached this significant milestone of 45 KFELS B Class rigs delivered with another exemplary delivery to a valued customer. ADC has further shown their confidence in us with the acquisition of a second KFELS B Class jackup rig which is on track for delivery at the end of the year.”

“This delivery is in conjunction with the 45th anniversary of our parent company, Keppel Corporation. In line with the theme of ‘Shaping the Future’, our KFELS B Class design has and is playing an important part in shaping the offshore drilling industry. With another 18 KFELS B Class rigs on order, it is today the industry benchmark for jackup rigs.”

Developed by Keppel's technology arm, Offshore Technology Development (OTD), the KFELS B Class jackup design is able to operate in water depths of up to 400 feet and drill to depths of 30,000 feet which is readily upgradeable to higher performance capabilities.

The robust rig incorporates Keppel's advanced and fully-automated high capacity rack and pinion jacking system, and Self-Positioning Fixation System. Designed with industry-leading features for safety and environmental friendliness, the KFELS B Class provides maximum uptime with reduced emissions and discharges. Besides the two rigs for ADC, Keppel FELS also delivered a KFELS Super B Class rig to Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Aramco last year.