Offshore rig contractor Dolphin Drilling has signed a contract with Harbour Energy for the semi-submersible drilling rig Paul B. Loyd Jr. in the UK sector of the North Sea, adding around $150mn to its firm backlog.
The contract will begin after the expiry of the rig’s current firm term and follows a letter of intent announced in April, Dolphin Drilling said.
The new firm contract period runs through August 30, 2030, while Harbour Energy also holds options to extend the agreement for up to a further five years.
“This contract award is a testament to the partnership formed between Dolphin Drilling and Harbour Energy,” chief executive Michael Boyd said. “It provides both parties with stability and the platform to continue to deliver safe and efficient operations.”
Separately, Dolphin Drilling said the Blackford Dolphin semi-submersible rig would continue its drilling contract with Oil India Limited through the end of July 2026.
The extension will allow the rig to complete drilling, testing, and abandonment work offshore eastern India under the same terms and scope as the existing agreement, the company said.
Dolphin Drilling said its firm contract backlog now stood at $362mn, with a further $849mn linked to letters of intent and contract options, Boyd added.
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