Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill Ltd., Houston, announced it has secured a pair of contracts from LLOG Exploration Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Harbour Energy, London, for offshore drilling campaigns in the U.S. Gulf.
The deals add approximately $260 million to Seadrill's contract backlog, the company said.
The drillship West Neptune was awarded a 365-day contract extension, with operations scheduled to commence in September 2026, and the drillship West Vela was awarded a program with a duration of 270 days, with an expected commencement in August 2026.
Samir Ali, Seadrill's president and CEO, said the contracts build on more than a decade of collaboration with LLOG.
“The strong operational performance delivered by the West Vela and West Neptune teams continues to help us win follow-on work,” Ali said. “Securing this backlog enhances revenue visibility and supports free cash flow generation as we navigate near-term softness in the U.S. Gulf. The West Vela and West Neptune are positioned favorably for availability in 2027 as global floater utilization is expected to improve.”
The West Vela and West Neptune are seventh-generation, ultra-deepwater drillships built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea in 2013 and 2014. Each has a long-term operational history in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
