Two of the leading offshore drilling contractors (Rowan and Ensco) have agreed to merge creating an industry-leading drilling contractor capable of working across all water depths with a truly global footprint.
The combined fleet will be comprised of 82 units made up of 28 floaters and 54 jackups. Thirty-eight units out of the jackup fleet and 11 units of the floater fleet are high spec, giving the combined company one of the most capable fleets in the industry.
Through the merger with Rowan, Ensco will enter the harsh-environment Norwegian market where it had previously not had a footprint. This also creates the largest marketed, high-spec jackup drilling contractor in the Gulf of Mexico. The combined company will be very well positioned to benefit from the upturn in the offshore drilling sector.