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According to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) a record number of drilling rigs are currently working in ultra-deepwater in the Gulf of Mexico.  Of the 14 rigs drilling for oil and gas in 5,000 feet of water or greater 11 or 80 percent are built to ABS standards. 

Industry continues to push the frontier boundaries and technology will play a key role in helping operators drill to deeper depths under more extreme conditions, says ABS Vice President of Energy Development Ken Richardson. 

ABS, the class society for most Gulf of Mexico installations, is seeing several new drilling rigs being built for use in deepwater Gulf coming online in mid-2008 and the second half of 2009.  The units range from drill ships to semi-submersibles capable of operating in water depths up to12,000 feet.  As examples, ABS points to the new ultra-deepwater dynamically positioned semisubmersible drilling unit the Noble Danny Adkins slated for operation the first quarter of 2009 and Noble’s Jim Day also being upgraded for ultra deepwater drilling and scheduled for completion the fourth quarter of 2009.