The NewYork-listed contractor says the counterparty, CEC International, will pay$159,500 per day for the Atwood Manta (built 2012).
Accordingto a statement the extension, which relates to a drilling project off Thailand,will start on 2 December 2013.
Followingtoday’s development Atwood says the unit has secured firm commitments that willkeep it busy through the end of 2015.
Thenews is catching the attention of many market observers as the rate is widely believedto be the highest a jack-up operating in Southeast Asia has seen in this cycle.
Accordingto offshore researchers with US investment bank Cowen Securities, the contractserves as further evidence that demand for modern jack-ups is on the rise.
“When comparedto fixtures within SE Asia in the last six months both the day rate and lengthof contract reflect favourably on the current market for jackups in the region,”they told clients Thursday.
Previouslythe unit had been working for Coastal in a contract that carried a price tag ofapproximately $145,000 per day, Cowen noted in its briefing about the Atwoodaward.
