Recently, Seadrill, a Bermuda-based offshore drilling platform operator, signed a charter agreement with LLOG Exploration Company (LLOG), a subsidiary of the London-listed oil and gas company Harbour Energy, for two ultra-deepwater drilling rigs.
The contract is valued at approximately $260 million, and the two drilling vessels involved will be deployed in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Specifically, the “West Neptune” has secured a 365-day contract extension, with operations set to begin in September 2026; the “West Vela” has secured a 270-day project contract, with operations expected to begin in August 2026.
Seadrill reported in December 2025 that the “West Neptune,” built in 2014, had signed a four-month contract with LLOG in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. As for the “West Vela,” the vessel had previously secured a contract to perform operations for Talos Energy in the Gulf of Mexico.