June 2009  Singapore Following on from the award of 4 Jack-up drill rigs in May by Keppel FELS and PPL Shipyards, Cables International has been awarded the cables supply contracts for the completion of 2 Frontier Drilling/Shell owned drill ships by Keppel Shipyard.

The drillships, Bully 1 and Bully 2, are jointly owned by Frontier Drilling and Shell and are designed to offer a lower cost and more flexible alternative for drilling in ultradeep and Arctic conditions.
 

The second drillship of the Bully design was recently awarded to Keppel by the same owners. The first was awarded in June 2007 for delivery by Q4 2009.

The new hull was built in China and arrived at Keppel Shipyard in Q1 2009. The drillship is expected to be delivered by Q2 2010.

The Bully drillships are designed to conduct surface BOP drilling operations in water depths of up to 12,000 ft (3,658 m) and subsea BOP operations in water depths of up to 8,250 ft (2,515 m) as equipped (up to 10,000 ft [3,048 m] capability). The total drilling depth below the drill floor is 40,000 ft (12,192 m). The drillships will also be equipped with ice-class hulls and fitted with DP-2.

Keppel Shipyard's work scope includes installation, integration and completion of the owner-supplied power generation, thrusters and drilling equipment packages on a new hull.