The arrival of international oil companies (IOCs) is expected to change the market for drill rigs in Brazil. Transocean believes that increasing the participation of these companies in the country will help raise prices of daily rates, as well as create demand for new types of assets, different from the units usually demanded by Petrobras.
“Petrobras has already adhered to certain technical specifications over the years, but now there are other players in the market who will bring their own preferences. Traditionally, IOCs want the highest specification assets, “Jeremy Thigpen, CEO of Transocean, told analysts.
There is an expectation, for example, of the increase in contracting in the country of high specification rigs, ultra-deepwater and double tower units. The patent of double tower rigs in Brazil, inclusive, is in the hands of Transocean itself.
The company is optimistic that the auctions scheduled for 2018 will have good results, which will help bring more rigs into the country.
“There is a lot of interest, mainly from the majors, in Brazil … We expect huge participation from foreign oil companies (in the auctions), which is very positive not only in terms of foreign investment, but also in reducing dependence on only one company, Petrobras, “argues Roddie Mackenzie, the company’s vice president of Market and Contracts.
Today, Transocean has two active contracts with Petrobras, Transocean 706 and Petrobras 10,000 units. The latter is undergoing repairs at the time, following an accident in December during a Gulf of Mexico operation that left a worker dead.
The companies are working on a joint investigation into the accident and the rig is expected to be operational by the end of February.
Revista Brasil Energia
Brazil Energy Insight 
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