Japan Drilling to get second KFELS Super B jack-up

Japan Drilling's first Super B class drilling rig, Hakuryu 11, joined its fleet last year

OCTOBER 31, 2014 — Singapore’s Keppel FELS shipyard has secured a contract for a KFELS Super B Class jack-up rig worth about US$240 million from BOT Lease Co., Ltd (BOTL), an affiliated company of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

Provisionally named Hakuryu 15, the rig will be operated by Japan Drilling Co under a lease agreement with BOTL and is scheduled for completion at end 2016.

The KFELS Super B Class design has a drilling depth of 35,000 ft. The leg structure is designed to provide enhanced robustness for operations at 400 ft water depth.

The Hakuryu 15, adapted to JDC’s operating philosophy, is engineered to operate in high ambient temperatures and can accommodate 150 personnel onboard. It features an offline stand building capability to handle drill pipes efficiently, a high capacity hook load of 2 million pounds, boosting overall rig performance and productivity.

It will be the second KFELS Super B Class jack-up rig to join JDC’s fleet.

Mr. Yuichiro Ichikawa, President and Representative Director of JDC, said, “Over the years, we have entrusted several of our newbuilding and repair projects to Keppel and they have proven to be a worthy partner. Hakuryu 11, our KFELS Super B Class unit from Keppel FELS was delivered safely and on-time in 2013, and has been working well in the field. Hakuryu 15 will enable us to meet the strong demand from our customers for premium class jackup rigs and strengthen our position as a leading offshore drilling contractor. We look forward to receive another outstanding drilling unit that fits our exacting requirements.”