There is a sense that certain rig segments around the world could finally be experiencing some form of recovery. Improving utilisation levels aid some segments, while other areas benefit from criteria such as growing backlog of contracts/demand, increase in newbuild interest, more rigs returning to active service, and so on. For instance, the US Gulf of Mexico has seen steady month-on-month increases in floater utilisation since late last year, after the deepwater moratorium was lifted in October 2010. The Middle East saw contracted backlog shoot up in May 2011 following the announcement of 13 long-term contracts by Saudi Aramco - with more to follow. Newbuild orders so far this year have amounted to around 60 jackups and floaters - this development is significant given that only one order (a jackup by Saudi Aramco) was placed during the first half of 2010.
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