NORWEGIAN drilling contractor Seadrill has emerged as the front runner to win a coveted contract from US supermajor ExxonMobil for the charter of a high-specification rig to carry out exploration work off Brazil. Industry sources told Upstream that Seadrill defeated strong competition from rivals including Transocean, Constellation Oil Services and Valaris (formerly EnscoRowan) by submitting a very competitive dayrate. It is understood that ExxonMobil will contract the drillship West Saturn to run its programme in Brazil's prolific pre-salt play. The rig is already in the country concluding a campaign for Norway's Equinor in the Carcara pre-salt area in the Santos basin. The West Saturn is chartered until the end of the month for a dayrate of $207,600.
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