Odfjell Drilling has received a three-year letter of award (LOA) from Vår Energi for the Deepsea Bergen, extending the semi-submersible drilling rig’s firm backlog to Q1 2031.
The scope covered by the LOA is due to start in early 2028 following completion of the rig’s current contract. Its estimated value is $518 million, including mobilisation fees but excluding annual escalation, integrated services, performance bonuses and fuel incentives.
The award comes less than a year after Odfjell Drilling completed its acquisition of the rig from Northern Ocean. The company agreed in November 2025 to acquire the unit, then named Deepsea Bollsta, for $480 million. The transaction was completed on 15 December 2025.
As part of that transaction, the rig’s drilling contract with Equinor was transferred to Odfjell Drilling. The firm period runs until early 2028 and includes five one-year extension options. At the time the acquisition was announced, the existing firm contract represented an estimated $355 million in backlog.
Odfjell Drilling had managed Deepsea Bollsta since Q1 2022 before acquiring the unit. Following its integration into the company’s owned fleet, the rig was renamed Deepsea Bergen.
Delivered in 2019, Deepsea Bergen is a Moss CS60E-design semi-submersible built for operations in benign and harsh environments. According to Odfjell Drilling’s rig specifications, the unit can operate in water depths of up to 3,000 m and drill to a depth of 12,000 m. It has a variable deck load of 7,000 t and accommodation for 180 people.
The latest LOA covers three years of work for Vår Energi from early 2028. Odfjell Drilling said the award extends firm backlog for Deepsea Bergen until Q1 2031.
