Offshore drilling contractor Dolphin Drilling has won a drilling rig contract in Mexico with the country's national oil company Pemex.

Dolphin Drilling said Tuesday the contract was for the Blackford Dolphin semi-submersible drilling rig. The value of the contract, expected to last 15 months, is $83 million, meaning the dayrate is slightly above $180,000.

The Blackford Dolphin, built in Norway in 1974 is currently being prepared for the journey from the North Sea to Mexico ahead of the start of operations in October.

Bjørnar Iversen, CEO of Dolphin Drilling, said: “Our ability to mobilize the asset quickly and our excellent operational and safety performance were key to us winning the contract. Blackford Dolphin is one of the most efficient moored semisubmersibles on the market, providing a reduction of the CO2 emissions associated with drilling due to its low fuel consumption and high drilling performance.

“Our alliance with PEMEX demonstrates how we can add value to operators located anywhere in the world, and I am looking forward to us continuing our global growth in the years to come, and see Mexico as a strategically important market for our moored semi-submersibles.”