On Dec. 08, 2025, Transocean Ltd. (“Transocean”) announced the execution of a six-well contract in Australia with an undisclosed operator for the Deepwater Skyros.
The estimated 320-day campaign is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2027 and contribute approximately $130 million in backlog, excluding compensation for mobilization and demobilization. The award includes priced options that, if fully exercised, could keep the drillship working in Australia into early 2030.
According to available information, the “Deepwater Skyros” is a Type 12000 seventh-generation ultra-deepwater drilling vessel, built and delivered by Samsung Heavy Industries in December 2013. Originally part of Ocean Rig, it later joined the Transocean fleet.
This drilling vessel is 228 meters long and 42 meters wide, equipped with a DP3 positioning system, a maximum operating water depth of 12,000 feet, a maximum drilling depth of 40,000 feet, and can accommodate 215 people. It is equipped with a helicopter deck, a complete reliquefaction system, and other features, making it suitable for complex ultra-deepwater operations.
Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The company specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on ultra-deepwater and harsh environment drilling services and operates the highest specification floating offshore drilling fleet in the world.
Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates a fleet of 27 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of 20 ultra-deepwater floaters and seven harsh environment floaters.