There is some uncertainty about activity levels in the U.S. Gulf and worldwide, but the general consensus is that 2014 should be another good year. This is mirrored in two recent market analyses from Douglas-Westwood, a global energy industry market research and consulting group. Its first report notes that 39 deepwa-ter rigs owned by big contractors such as ENSCO, Transocean and Seadrill - 22 percent of the worldwide fleet - are coming off contract in 2014. This may seem daunting but these rigs will be seeking work in a market with utilization rates at five-year highs. That market includes the Gulf of Mexico, where activity rates are forecast to remain strong. Add in the potential activity from the projected opening of Mexico's deepwater GOM provinces, and there appears to be little reason to worry about deepwater rig utilization rates.
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