Dolphin Drilling Offshore, a wholly owned unit of Dolphin Drilling, and Sapura Drilling Asia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vantris Energy, have signed a marketing agreement covering the semi-submersible drilling unit Blackford Dolphin.

The arrangement gives Vantris a non-exclusive mandate to market the rig in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and any other locations the parties may agree.

Board chairman Ronny Bjørnådal said the partnership links Dolphin Drilling with a contractor that operates the world’s largest tender assist drilling rig fleet. He added that the agreement broadens access to Southeast Asia, which he described as a key contributor to current global energy demand growth.

Blackford Dolphin was built in 1974 and upgraded in 2008. The unit is rated for a maximum operating water depth of 1,829 m (6,000 ft) and a drilling depth of up to 9,144 m (30,000 ft).

Dolphin Drilling owns and operates three harsh-environment mid-water and deep-water semi-submersible drilling rigs designed for worldwide operations. Vantris is an independent international drilling contractor focused on tender assist drilling, providing turnkey packages that include rigs, crews, and operational support, and it has a strong presence in Southeast Asia and West Africa.