PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Energy giant, bp, has awarded a significant drilling contract to the Cayman Islands-based offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry, Noble Corporation, for work in Trinidad and Tobago.
The agreement, confirmed in Noble’s 2025 full-year results, will result in the semi-submersible rig, Noble Developer, being deployed for a three-well campaign scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2027.
The initial drilling programme is slated to run for approximately 240 days, commanding a day rate of $375,000. The contract also includes options for up to three additional wells, providing further potential for BP’s regional operations. As one of the nation’s primary hydrocarbon producers, bp currently manages an extensive infrastructure in the area, comprising 12 offshore platforms and two subsea installations.
The Noble Developer, a veteran vessel built in 2009, joins a list of high-profile fixtures as operators look to secure capacity years in advance. Similar forward-looking activity was seen in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, where Borr Drilling’s Odin recently secured a 120-day contract with ExxonMobil, set to begin in mid-2026.
The announcement comes amid resilient activity in the global offshore sector. According to recent data from Westwood Global Energy Group, market utilization levels remained firm at the start of the year despite minor fluctuations in fleet size.
“The global committed jackup fleet decreased by four units to 384, with marketed committed utilization at 88%,” Westwood Global noted in a recent market update.
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