Search
Close this search box

Borr Drilling Adds Five Noble Jack-Ups, Fleet Rises to 29

Borr Drilling completed a $360 million purchase of five premium jack-ups from Noble Corporation, lifting its fleet to 29 rigs and supporting near-term opportunities across key offshore basins.
Photo source: Borr Drilling

SHARE ARTICLE

Borr Drilling closed a $360 million purchase of five premium jack-up rigs from Noble Corporation, taking its total fleet to 29 units and bolstering its capacity across major offshore basins.

The acquired assets include three Friede & Goldman JU-3000N design rigs and two Gusto MSC CJ50 design rigs. Borr Drilling said the additions fit well with its existing portfolio and support near-term market opportunities, while reinforcing its position as a focused owner of premium jack-up units with an international footprint.

After completion, the five rigs were set for renaming: Noble Regina Allen will become Sif, Noble Tom Prosser will be renamed Freyja, Noble Mick O’Brien will change to Forseti, Noble Resolute will become Bestla, and Noble Resilient will be renamed Joro.

The company maintained that it continued to own the youngest jack-up fleet with global reach. Noble Corporation had previously stated it would keep operating two of the units—Noble Mick O’Brien and Noble Resolute—under a bareboat charter arrangement for one year from the signing of the definitive agreement.

Chief Executive Officer Bruno Morand said Borr Drilling expanded its premium fleet at a favourable point in the cycle and described the rigs as technically aligned with the company’s current line-up. He added that the operating platform—built around execution, customer focus, and a premium fleet—remained central to strengthening customer ties and supporting long-term shareholder value.

Separately, Borr Drilling noted that, following the acquisition announcement, the rig to be renamed Joro secured an accommodation campaign offshore Germany. Once the transaction was completed, the rig was chartered to a Noble Corporation affiliate to enable the campaign’s completion.

Fleet updates elsewhere included the Ran jack-up extending work with Eni in Mexico from January 2026 to March 2026, while Odin secured a US contract with an undisclosed operator scheduled from July 2026 to November 2026. Saga remained with Brunei Shell Petroleum in Brunei after options were exercised, keeping the assignment running from November 2026 to April 2027. Norve finished operations with Marathon Oil in Equatorial Guinea in mid-November 2025 and moved directly into a new job with Vaalco Energy offshore Gabon.

The Grid jack-up ended work with PEMEX in Mexico in mid-November 2025 and began operations with New Age in Congo in mid-January 2026. Thor started operations with HLHV JOC in Vietnam in late November 2025. Prospector 1 completed a campaign with Dana Petroleum in the Netherlands in early December 2025 and transitioned straight into a follow-on job with ONE-Dyas in the same country.

Editorial Note:
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools to enhance clarity and efficiency.
All information has been reviewed and verified by the HMT News editor.
The heavy load carrier Red Zed 1 delivered the 10,847-tonnes liquefaction module to the Woodfibre LNG project site on 10 March 2026 as the project advances toward completion.
The first section of the Lucayan floating drydock departed CSSC Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding and was loaded onto Boskalis’ Blue Marlin off Qingdao for transport to Grand Bahama Shipyard in the Bahamas.
Saudi Arabia suspended production at four offshore oilfields, including Safaniya and Zuluf, as security risks linked to tensions with Iran disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Subscribe to HMT WEEKLY

Receive HMT WEEKLY in your mailbox.

Heavy Marine Transport News, Delivered Daily — Stay informed on shipping, offshore, and global logistics.

SECTION

INFORMATION

CONTACT

For general inquiries and to contact us,
please email: info@hmt-news.com