Hercules Offshore News


Hercules-2 officially launched

Jul 07, 2015

A major cross-industry initiative led by Wärtsilä, MAN Diesel & Turbo and Winterthur Gas & Diesel to develop basic technologies for use in two-stroke and four-stroke marine engines has been officially launched. The Hercules-2 project is aimed…

New drilling outfit takes shape

Jun 29, 2015

Houston-headquartered driller Northern Offshore (NOF) is to be combined with Chinese-controlled Blue Ocean Drilling into a new firm if a deal with Shandong Offshore International Co. worth about US$160 million (NOK 1.3 billion) is agreed…

Offshore drillers continue to struggle

Jun 23, 2015

As expected, Hercules Offshore Inc. plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection next month as a final solution to its US$1.2 billion debt woes. The firm is one of the first to crash and burn as a result of insufficient cash flow due…

Hercules gets saved

Jun 18, 2015

Houston-based Hercules Offshore entered into a restructuring support agreement with a group of its debt holders that will shakeup the company’s finances and position Hercules to benefit during the expected rebound in the offshore drilling industry…

Aramco withdraws Hercules contract termination

Jun 01, 2015

Hercules Offshore received a welcome notice from Saudi Aramco—a withdrawal notice to rescind Aramco’s previously issued notice of termination of its contract for the Hercules 261. As a result, almost all terms and conditions of the contract…

Hercules sells rigs, cuts workforce

May 19, 2015

Houston-headquartered drilling contractor Hercules Offshore sold four jackups that had been previously cold stacked since 2009. Despite the sale, 11 rigs in the company’s fleet remained cold stacked, five were added to that list this year alone…

Hercules, Eni sign five-year deal

Apr 02, 2015

Houston-based Hercules Offshore signed a five-year contract with a subsidiary of Eni S.p.A. for use of the Hercules 260 in West Africa. The dayrate under the contract will range from a minimum of US$75,000 per day when the price of Brent crude oil is $86 or less per barrel…

Rigs scrapping continues

Apr 02, 2015

Global rig provider Transocean said it will scrap two more rigs from its fleet taking the total number of floaters it is planning to scrap to 18, the company announced on 1 April 2015. The two rigs joining its soon to be departed brethren are the GSF Aleutian Key and Sedco 707…

Saudi Aramco cancels Hercules contract

Feb 26, 2015

Hercules Offshore received a notice from Saudi Aramco to terminate its drilling contract for the Hercules 261, effective 27 March 2015. Hercules says it is in the process of seeking a basis for continuing the Hercules 261 contract. The…

Hercules Offshore announces management changes

Nov 11, 2014

Houston-based Hercules Offshore promoted ­­Troy L. Carson to senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective 21 November 2014. Carson is currently serving as senior vice president and chief accounting officer.  He joined…

Rowan appoints new CFO

Nov 11, 2014

Stephen M. Butz joins Rowan Companies plc as executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, effective 1 December 2014.   Butz joins the company from Hercules Offshore, Inc., where for the past nine years he has served in various corporate development…

Heerema wins Maersk Culzean contract

Oct 15, 2014

Maersk Oil North Sea UK Ltd. awarded Heerema Hartlepool Ltd. a contract for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the Culzean development’s well head platform (WHP) jacket. Maersk’s proposed Culzean development…

Wärtsilä and MAN Diesel & Turbo begin Hercules-2

Sep 22, 2014

Wärtsilä and MAN Diesel & Turbo are continuing with a new Hercules-2 project, pending approval under the Horizon 2020 EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation. The Hercules-2 project is aimed at developing a fuel-flexible marine…

Multiple contracts for DOF Subsea

Aug 18, 2014

DOF Subsea has been awarded multiple contracts, worth a total NOK830 million.   In Asia Pacific, DOF Subsea has been awarded several contracts including project management and engineering, inspection, maintenance and repair services and subsea installation work…

Faroe well off target

Jun 27, 2014

Statoil’s Brugdan II well offshore the Faroe Islands is being plugged and abandoned after finding no hydrocarbons.  The well, which was a re-entry of the 6104/21-2 well, was drilled to 4542m, 130km offshore the Faroe Islands.  Drilling…

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