Houston, United States — Offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation is considering the sale of its Noble Globetrotter I drillship if the vessel fails to obtain new intervention work once its current assignment ends, Chief Executive Robert Eifler said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, according to Upstream.
The sixth-generation drillship is contracted to OMV Petrom for two wells in Bulgaria from December through April. Eifler said Noble continues to pursue intervention opportunities for the vessel but added that “if a new contract does not materialize, it could be a divestment candidate.”
Possible Fleet Adjustments
Eifler also mentioned that the Noble Deliverer semisubmersible could face a similar situation, depending on future work availability. However, he noted that three of the company’s semisubmersibles — the Deliverer, Developer, and Discoverer — are seeing higher levels of activity than at any time since Noble acquired them several years ago.
Among the three, only the Deliverer currently lacks a follow-up contract. “Our outlook does not require all three of those rigs to be working,” Eifler said, describing any additional utilization as “lagniappe,” a term meaning an added benefit.
He added that Noble expects at least two of the rigs to remain active, with more work inquiries underway than in recent periods.
Rig Divestments and Sales
The company has been actively reshaping its fleet through multiple rig sales in 2025. Assets sold include the Noble Highlander jack-up and the Pacific Meltem and Pacific Scirocco drillships. On Monday, Noble announced the $27.5 million sale of the Noble Reacher jack-up, Upstream reported.
According to Chief Financial Officer Richard Barker, the Reacher had been idle in drilling mode for several years. It would have required “a significant amount of capital” to return to full operational status.
Noble also confirmed that the Noble Globetrotter II, another sixth-generation drillship, is being held for sale.
In addition, the company is pursuing potential employment for three high-specification vessels: the Noble Viking and Noble BlackRhino (both seventh-generation) and the Noble Gerry de Souza (sixth-generation). Eifler said the Viking is contracted until February 2026, while the BlackRhino and Gerry de Souza are currently idle. “We have active discussions and hope to secure work for these rigs soon,” he said.
Recent Contract Awards
During the third quarter, Noble secured several new contracts:
- The Noble Venturer drillship received a one-well contract from Amni in Ghana, valued at a $450,000 day rate for 55 days, to commence after finishing work for Tullow Oil in August 2026.
- The Noble Resolute jack-up was awarded a one-year deal with Eni in the Dutch North Sea, at a $125,000 day rate, expected to start by year-end.
- The Noble Interceptor jack-up obtained a five-month accommodation contract with Aker BP in Norway, starting in August 2026.
- The Noble Developer had an option exercised by Petronas for one additional well in Suriname in early 2026.
Barker also reported that Noble has terminated several service contracts linked to rigs acquired from Diamond Offshore last year, with total associated costs expected to exceed $135 million. Approximately $35 million will be paid in 2025, and the remainder in 2026.
Source: Upstream (October 29, 2025)
