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PTTEP Awards Pair of Long-Term Jackup Contracts to Foresight Offshore Drilling in Gulf of Thailand

By MGN Editorial•September 23, 2026 at 02:24 AM

Thailand's state-backed energy company PTTEP has handed two long-term jackup drilling contracts to Foresight Offshore Drilling, signalling a rig transition in the Gulf of Thailand as the Aryabhatt 1 and Vivekanand 1 units prepare to replace incumbent tender-assist vessels.

## PTTEP Selects Foresight Offshore Drilling for Gulf of Thailand Jackup Operations Thailand's national upstream oil and gas company, PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP), has awarded two long-term drilling contracts to Foresight Offshore Drilling, according to Splash247. The deals cover the deployment of the jackup rigs **Aryabhatt 1** and **Vivekanand 1** in the Gulf of Thailand. The contract awards represent a notable shift in drilling operations for PTTEP in the region. The two Foresight jackups are set to take over work currently being performed by Energy Drilling's tender-assist units **EDrill-1** and **T-15**, marking a transition from tender-assist drilling to conventional jackup operations at the fields in question. ### Strategic Significance The move underscores continued operator confidence in jackup rigs for shallow-water Gulf of Thailand developments, a basin that remains a cornerstone of Thailand's domestic energy production. Long-term contract awards of this nature provide rig owners with revenue visibility and support fleet utilisation in a market that has seen steady demand from regional national oil companies. For Foresight Offshore Drilling, securing two back-to-back long-term contracts with a major state-backed operator represents a significant commercial milestone, strengthening the company's foothold in Southeast Asian offshore drilling markets. Further details regarding contract duration and day rates were not disclosed at the time of reporting. The transition timeline between the incumbent Energy Drilling units and the incoming Foresight jackups has also yet to be publicly confirmed. *Source: Splash247*

Source: PR Newswire - Heavy Industry, Splash247

#jackup rigs#offshore drilling#PTTEP#Foresight Offshore Drilling#Gulf of Thailand#drilling contracts#tender-assist#Southeast Asia upstream

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