Newly developed high-tech ultra-deepwater drillship is expected to see sharply increased demand in the coming future.  
Bermuda-based global drilling company Seadrill announced on July 15 that the company placed orders for a total of four ultra-deepwater drillships at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Samsung Heavy Industries. The ultra-deepwater four drillships will be able to operate in water depths of up to 12,000 feet to be operated in deep-sea oilfield development in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Africa, and so on for delivery in the second half of 2015. Seadrill also has two options for fixed price, with delivery planned in the first half of 2016.
Seadrill explained over the latest drillship contracts that, “As we have put a significant amount of time and effort in future analysis of demands for ultra-deepwater drilling market, we found out that global oil production from ultra-deepwater would expand into 5m barrels a day in six years from the current 1m barrel a day,” and added, “To prepare for this, a considerable volume of newly-developed drillship fleet needs to be added.”
“In addition, around 49% of the existing deepwater drilling rig fleet are old vessels aged more than 20 years that the fourth and fifth generation drilling rigs are being replaced with new units since they cannot satisfy oil major’s new needs (safety, deck hook load capacity, etc.),” said Seadrill.
And added that since 2005 when Seadrill was established, the utilization of the ultra-deepwater fleet has been 100% and the current orderbook slated for delivery in 2014-2016 stands on 39 units which are to be fully absorbed into the market. Furthermore, drillships featured with advanced equipment are expected to continue to have their firm day rates.  
Moreover, the Bermuda-based company has $19bn amount of newbuilding orderbook (22 units composed of nine ultra-deepwater drillships, two harsh environment semi-submersible rigs, 11 high specification jack-up rigs), of them those with delivery scheduled in 2014 are highly likely to be chartered for attractive day rates. Therefore, the company revealed it plan to place more orders for drilling rigs in the coming months.
The company added that the market’s ordering for deepwater drilling units with 2015 delivery is seen lower than expected with only seven units un-chartered as of the time before the drillship contracts.
Also, large rival rig operators are less likely to secure additional deepwater units before the second half of 2016 that high day rates are expected with a continued tight supply and demand situation, added Seadrill.