May 15, 2013 - Statoil, operator of the Mariner development in the UK North Sea, awarded Noble Corp. a 4-year contract to provide development drilling services using a newbuild jackup based on Statoil's Cat J specifications. The rig will be an enhanced version of GustoMSC's CJ-70 design and will be capable of drilling in 500 feet of water to a depth of 33,000 feet using either surface or subsea stacks. Development drilling is expected to commence between May and September 2016. Total estimated value of the contract is $655 million including mobilization costs.

May 3, 2013 - EMAS AMC, the subsea division of Ezra Holding Limited, will be involved in the Smorbukk South extension project after being awarded a $75 million engineering, procurement and construction contract from Statoil. Scope of the contract includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation of flexible flowlines, tie-in spools, manifolds and umbilicals as well as associated abandonment and removal activities. Offshore operations are scheduled to start in 2Q 2014 with a duration of approximately one year. Smorbukk South is estimated to hold 16.5 MMboe and will be developed with a new subsea template connected to existing infrastructure in the area.

Apr 26, 2013 - Hurricane Energy has contracted Transocean's GSF Arctic III (mid-water semisub) to drill an appraisal well on the Lancaster oil discovery in block 205/21a in the UK North Sea. Additionally, SPD has been contracted to provide well construction and drilling program project management services. Lancaster was discovered in 2009 and again tested in 2010 and is estimated to hold 2C recoverable contingent resources of 207 MMboe. The upcoming well is expected to spud summer 2013.