Transocean Ltd. announced that, through a joint venture with funds managed and/or advised by Hayfin Capital Management LLP (“Hayfin”), it has purchased a 33.3% interest in the West Rigel, a newbuild harsh environment semisubmersible. The total purchase price for the rig, built by Sembcorp Marine Ltd.’s (“Sembcorp”) Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd, is $500 million.

Transocean has initially invested $83 million in the joint venture with an additional investment of $83 million to be made at a later date in accordance with the terms of the joint venture arrangements with Hayfin. Transocean has also invested $8 million for working capital, which includes upgrades and activation cost with additional amounts to be later funded. The rig is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2018, and available for charter in the first quarter of 2019.

The rig, renamed the Transocean Norge, is a Moss Maritime CS60 design harsh environment semisubmersible and is considered to be among the most capable newbuild semisubmersibles in the world. Transocean possesses the exclusive right to market and operate the Transocean Norge, and will immediately begin engagement with customers.

Transocean’s President and Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Thigpen remarked: “Our interest in the Transocean Norge, along with the recent acquisition of Songa Offshore, underscores our commitment to high-grading our fleet in a financially prudent manner to provide our customers with the drilling assets and expertise they seek for projects in harsh environment and ultra-deepwater environments.” Mr. Thigpen continued: “Given the strong demand and improving utilization and dayrates for this class of rig, we expect to secure work for the Transocean Norge in the near future.”

About Transocean

Transocean (NYSE:RIG) is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The company specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on ultra-deepwater and harsh environment drilling services, and believes that it operates one of the most versatile offshore drilling fleets in the world.

Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in, and operates a fleet of 47 mobile offshore drilling units consisting of 27 ultra-deepwater floaters, 12 harsh environment floaters, two deepwater floaters and six midwater floaters. In addition, Transocean is constructing two ultra-deepwater drillships; and one harsh environment semisubmersible that the company has a one-third interest. The company also operates one high-specification jackup that was under a drilling contract when the rig was sold, and the company will continue to operate the jackup until completion or novation of the drilling contract.

About Sembcorp Marine

Sembcorp Marine provides innovative engineering solutions to the global offshore, marine and energy industries. Drawing upon more than 50 years of track record and an extensive network of facilities and expertise, the Group focuses on four key capabilities, namely, Rigs & Floaters; Repairs & Upgrades; Offshore Platforms and Specialised Shipbuilding.

Sembcorp Marine operates shipyards strategically located in Singapore, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Brazil. Its customers include major oil companies, drilling contractors, shipping companies as well as owners and operators of floating production units.