Drillship activity boosts U.S. Gulf rig count

Drillship activity in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico is on the rise, boosting the region's contracted rig count to its highest level in nearly a year, according to ODS-Petrodata's Weekly Mobile Offshore Rig Count.

The new Discoverer Inspiration, a recent arrival in the region, will work for Chevron exploring the Gulf's deep waters. Another five drillships are scheduled to move into the U.S. Gulf between now and the end of the year.

The U.S. Gulf mobile offshore drilling fleet this week consists of 121 rigs, of which 75 are under contract. The region's offshore rig fleet utilization rate is 62.0 percent.

The South America offshore rig count is unchanged this week. With 88 of the region's 115 mobile offshore drilling units remaining under contract, South American offshore rig fleet utilization is 76.5 percent.

One rig left European waters since last week, and the region's offshore drilling fleet now includes 103 rigs. Of these, 90 are under contract, resulting in a fleet utilization rate of 87.4 percent.

No change was recorded in the West Africa offshore rig fleet this week. With 46 of the region's 63 mobile offshore drilling rigs remaining under contract, West Africa's offshore rig fleet utilization rate is 73.0 percent.

A two-rig increase in the Middle East contracted rig count boosted the region's offshore rig fleet utilization rate to 78.2 percent. Of the 119 rigs in the area, 93 are under contract. This is the highest number of rigs under contract in the region since January 2009.

The Asia/Australia contracted rig count declined by one and now stands at 98. Fleet size is unchanged at 123 rigs, while fleet utilization declined slightly to 79.7 percent.

Worldwide, 583 of 753 rigs are under contract this week, a net one-rig increase in the worldwide contracted rig count. The world's mobile offshore drilling fleet is expected to grow significantly this year, with 58 new units scheduled for delivery by Dec. 31, 2010, although some of the delivery schedules may slip into 2011. Of these 58 rigs, only 33 have firm contract commitments at this time