Vantage Drilling’s Platinum Explorer drillship is on its way to India and is expected to arrive by the end of June ahead of a three-year drilling contract with ONGC.

The 12,000-ft drillship secured the contract earlier this year, providing a return to active operations following a prolonged period without work.

The upcoming campaign will be the rig’s first assignment since its previous contract with ONGC ended in early 2024. A separate 260-day drilling program planned for the Black Sea in 2025 was later canceled because of sanctions.

For much of this year, Platinum Explorer remained idle in Malaysian waters. The vessel recently called at Singapore before resuming its voyage toward India, where preparations are under way for the start of the new contract.

The three-year agreement with ONGC is expected to bring the drillship back into long-term service after a period of limited activity.

Source: Provided Source