JANUARY | FEBRUARY
| MARCH | APRIL
| MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER
| OSV Day Rates - December, 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - November, 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - October, 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - September, 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - August , 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - July , 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - June , 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - May , 2005 |
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 Quarter ends on sluggish note
By Jerry Greenberg
Recent increases in supply vessel and crewboat utilization and day rates slowed in March as offshore drilling activity remained essentially flat during the month. But the market is still strong, with more strengthening expected as drilling contractors continue to move a mix of jackups and deepwater rigs into the Gulf of Mexico.
Utilization of supply and crewboats was either level or up slightly from February, with utilization of supply vessels up to 200' up 5 percent and crewboats up 2 percent.
Day rates were also mixed. But the big news is that supply boat and crewboat rates are almost double what they were a year ago. In March 2004, supply boat rates were $5,140 compared to $9,515 a year later.
Analysts with Jefferies & Company expect additional day-rate increases for supply vessels and crewboats during the next 12 months as rigs enter the Gulf. With most of the rigs expected to be large semisubmersibles, larger supply vessels will likely be the main beneficiaries of rising activity.
ODS-Petrodata, Houston, reported a net increase of only one rig under contract during March, from 132 units contracted at the end of February to 133 units contracted at the beginning of April. Effective utilization is essentially at 100 percent with only a handful of smaller cold-stacked jackups still in the market. These rigs could be brought back in a few months if contracts are available.
On the other hand, a couple of contractors are mobilizing some jackups and semisubmersibles to the Gulf, including two newbuild semisubmersibles with long-term contracts in hand that are expected to arrive by early summer.
Drilling contractors that are bringing rigs into the Gulf include GlobalSantaFe and Diamond Offshore.
The two newbuild semisubmersibles belong to GlobalSantaFe. The contractor also is mobilizing a jackup and a semisubmersible from Trinidad. The jackup is already contracted and will be ready to work when it arrives.
| OSV Day Rates - April , 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - March , 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - February , 2005 |
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| OSV Day Rates - January , 2005 |
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