Jurong Shipyard set a key milestone with the on-schedule completion of Noble Jim Day, the second Bingo 9000 design unit on order by Noble Drilling and the largest of its kind undertaken by the yard.

The semisubmersible rig was officially named Noble Jim Day by Teresa Day, the wife of Jim Day, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Noble Corporation, in a ceremony held in Jurong Shipyard on October 28, 2009.

Noble Jim Day is the second rig to be completed for Noble following the on-schedule delivery of the first unit Noble Danny Adkins. Both rigs are the largest ultra-deepwater dynamic positioning (DP3) semi-submersible drilling units and the first Bingo 9000 design rigs to be constructed and outfitted by Jurong Shipyard from bare-deck hulls.

Having secured a four-year charter contract by Marathon Oil Corporation, Noble Jim Day is expected to commence drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico in the first quarter of 2010. The rig will be capable of drilling up to 35,000 feet in depth and operating in water depths of up to 12,000 feet, with accommodation for at least 200 persons.

Noble Danny Adkins, which has the ability to drill 37,000 feet and operate in up to 12,000 feet water depth, has set off from Singapore for the Gulf of Mexico after completing its seatrials. The rig is expected to undergo final provisioning before commencing its four-year contract with Shell in the first quarter of 2010.

Wong Weng Sun, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sembcorp Marine and Managing Director of Jurong Shipyard, said, "We are pleased to achieve the on-schedule completions of Noble Jim Day and Noble Danny Adkins -- two of the largest ultra-deepwater rigs undertaken by Jurong Shipyard to-date. This milestone achievement is the result of a solid partnership between Jurong Shipyard and Noble founded on close cooperation and a commitment to quality and safety excellence. The success of Noble Jim Day and Noble Danny Adkins testify to Jurong Shipyard's strong expertise in rig building and versatility in providing customised offshore solutions to our customers."

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