Velesto Wins Malaysia Offshore Rig Contract
16, May 2026
Velesto Energy secured a Malaysia offshore drilling contract with Hibiscus Oil & Gas covering nine firm wells and up to seven optional wells for 2026 operations.
offshore drilling
Equinor Receives Approval for Åsgard Drilling Campaign
15, May 2026
Equinor received regulatory approval to use the Transocean Encourage semi-submersible rig for drilling operations at the Åsgard field offshore Norway.
Middle East Conflict Slows Jackup Recovery
14, May 2026
The Middle East jackup market has slowed after escalating regional conflict disrupted offshore drilling activity across the Arabian Gulf. Westwood said rig suspensions, delayed drilling campaigns and contract terminations pushed marketed fleet utilization down sharply, delaying the expected recovery in 2026.
California Platform Fire Contained Offshore
12, May 2026
A fire on the Habitat platform off Santa Barbara was contained after a gas leak ignited during decommissioning, with 26 workers evacuated and no reported environmental impact.
Dolphin Drilling Secures $150 million Rig Extension
12, May 2026
Dolphin Drilling has finalized a long-term contract with Harbour Energy for Paul B Loyd Jr in the UK North Sea, adding about $150 million to its backlog.
Seadrill Lifts Backlog to $3.1 Billion
11, May 2026
Seadrill added more than $860 million in rig awards across the U.S. Gulf, Brazil and Angola, raising total contract backlog to $3.1 billion.
PV Drilling Secures Vietnam Jack-Up Rig Deal
11, May 2026
PV Drilling has signed a 160-day jack-up rig supply contract with Zarubezhneft EP Vietnam B.V. for the Thien Nga – Hai Au development drilling campaign offshore Vietnam.
Equinor Secures North Sea Drilling Approval
7, May 2026
Equinor has secured approval to drill the Rav Beta exploration well in Norway’s North Sea using the COSL Innovator semi-submersible rig.
Talos Pushes Ahead With Gulf Drilling Plans
7, May 2026
Talos Energy is advancing offshore activity in the Gulf of America with drilling work underway at Monument and an appraisal well planned at Daenerys in 2026.
