Enhanced designs and innovative concepts extend depth ratings and improve efficiency. Deepwater exploration has turned up some impressive finds in recent years. Now, emerging ultra-deep water production technology is available to develop those resources. As a project like the Independence Hub development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico demonstrates, ultra-deep water is no longer the exclusive playground of the super majors. More discoveries to develop, more incentive to explore yet more territory and the participation of more players means more deepwater rigs will be needed - rigs that operate more efficiently in increasingly extreme environments. Controlling the significant cost of deepwater drilling is driving many of the advances in rig design. As is the case with most technology, the newest crop of deepwater units is marked by incremental enhancements and non-traditional concepts.
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