Shelf Drilling Receives Contract Termination Notice from TotalEnergies
United Arab Emirates-based jackup rig pure-play Shelf Drilling has recently been notified of a contract termination by French energy giant TotalEnergies.
The termination notice was issued for the 2014-built Shelf Drilling Winner, a jackup rig that was under contract with the Danish arm of TotalEnergies.
According to Shelf Drilling, the termination will take effect in August 2025 as per the terms of the contract.
The company expressed that the Shelf Drilling Winner had consistently demonstrated exceptional operational and safety performance during its tenure with TotalEnergies.
The original contract for the rig was scheduled to conclude in August 2026, with the possibility of two extensions that could prolong the agreement until late 2027.
However, following a comprehensive review of the 2025 work program, TotalEnergies decided to release the rig in the summer of 2025 after completing the final scheduled well activities. Shelf Drilling intends to actively seek new opportunities for the rig in the market.