Northern Ocean has secured a new drilling contract for Deepsea Mira with a subsidiary of Shell, with the semi-submersible scheduled to begin operations in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean in April 2027.
The firm programme is expected to run for about 150 days and is valued at approximately $70 million, including mobilisation and demobilisation costs, according to Northern Ocean’s official contract announcement.
The agreement also includes an option for an additional one-year programme in the region. If exercised, the total contract value could reach approximately $226 million. Northern Ocean said the contract extends its relationship with Shell beyond Namibia and supports the operator’s development plans in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.
The award also provides greater visibility over the rig’s forward schedule. HMT News reported in August that Deepsea Mira was expected to remain idle into the first quarter of 2027 after several potential opportunities were delayed or did not materialise. The April 2027 start date broadly follows the idle period previously expected through the first quarter of next year.
Deepsea Mira previously worked for Shell offshore Namibia. Northern Ocean said in its July trading update that the earlier campaign began on 4 April 2026 and was completed on 2 July. The contract generated approximately $31 million in revenue after the programme ran longer than initially expected.
Shell did not exercise an option for a second well under that programme. Deepsea Mira subsequently demobilised to Walvis Bay for planned upgrades and modifications.
Neither Northern Ocean nor Shell has publicly identified the specific field or development programme for the rig’s forthcoming work in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.
