Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. is a leading, global offshore oil and gas drilling contractor with a fleet of 47 offshore rigs consisting of 32 semisubmersibles, 14 jack-ups and one drillship. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this report to “Diamond Offshore,” “we,” “us” or “our” mean Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. and our consolidated subsidiaries. We were incorporated in Delaware in 1989.
The Fleet
Our fleet includes some of the most technologically advanced rigs in the world, enabling us to offer a broad range of services worldwide in various markets, including the deepwater, harsh environment, conventional semisubmersible and jack-up markets.
Semisubmersibles. We own and operate 32 semisubmersibles, consisting of 13 high-specification and 19 intermediate rigs. Semisubmersible rigs consist of an upper working and living deck resting on vertical columns connected to lower hull members. Such rigs operate in a “semi-submerged” position, remaining afloat, off bottom, in a position in which the lower hull is approximately 55 feet to 90 feet below the water line and the upper deck protrudes well above the surface. Semisubmersibles are typically anchored in position and remain stable for drilling in the semi-submerged floating position due in part to their wave transparency characteristics at the water line. Semisubmersibles can also be held in position through the use of a computer controlled thruster (dynamic-positioning) system to maintain the rig’s position over a drillsite. We have five semisubmersible rigs in our fleet with this capability.
Our high-specification semisubmersibles are generally capable of working in water depths of 4,000 feet or greater or in harsh environments and have other advanced features, as compared to intermediate semisubmersibles. As of January 25, 2010, seven of our 13 high-specification semisubmersibles, including the recently acquired Ocean Courage, were located in the United States, or U.S., Gulf of Mexico, or GOM. At that date we had two high- specification semisubmersibles rigs operating offshore Brazil, while a third was en route to Brazil from the GOM. Of our remaining high-specification semisubmersibles, one was located offshore each of Malaysia and Angola, while the final rig, the Ocean Valor, was completing its commissioning in Singapore. See “ – Fleet Enhancements and Additions.”
Our intermediate semisubmersibles generally work in maximum water depths up to 4,000 feet. As of January 25, 2010, we had 19 intermediate semisubmersible rigs in various locations around the world. Seven of these semisubmersibles were operating offshore Brazil and an eighth unit was en route to Brazil; three were located in the North Sea; two each were located offshore Australia and offshore Mexico; one was located in the GOM and one offshore Vietnam. One unit was en route to the Falkland Islands, and our final intermediate semisubmersible rig, the Ocean Bounty, was in the process of being cold stacked in Malaysia.
Drillship. We have one high-specification drillship, the Ocean Clipper, which was located offshore Brazil as of January 25, 2010. Drillships, which are typically self-propelled, are positioned over a drillsite through the use of either an anchoring system or a dynamic-positioning system similar to those used on certain semisubmersible rigs. Deepwater drillships compete in many of the same markets as do high-specification semisubmersible rigs.
Both semisubmersible rigs and drillships are commonly referred to as floaters in the offshore drilling industry.
Jack-ups. We currently have 14 jack-up drilling rigs. Jack-up rigs are mobile, self-elevating drilling platforms equipped with legs that are lowered to the ocean floor until a foundation is established to support the drilling platform. The rig hull includes the drilling rig, jacking system, crew quarters, loading and unloading facilities, storage areas for bulk and liquid materials, heliport and other related equipment. Our jack-ups are used for drilling in water depths from 20 feet to 350 feet. The water depth limit of a particular rig is principally determined by the length of the rig’s legs. A jack-up rig is towed to the drillsite with its hull riding in the sea, as a vessel, with its legs retracted. Once over a drillsite, the legs are lowered until they rest on the seabed and jacking continues with the legs penetrating the seabed until resistance is sufficient to elevate the hull above the surface of the water. After completion of drilling operations, the hull is lowered until it rests in the water and then the legs are retracted for relocation to another drillsite.
Most of our jack-up rigs are equipped with a cantilever system that enables the rig to cantilever or extend its drilling package over the aft end of the rig. This is particularly important when attempting to drill over existing platforms. Cantilever rigs have historically earned higher dayrates and achieved greater utilization compared to slot rigs, which do not have this capability.
As of January 25, 2010, six of our 14 jack-up rigs were located in the GOM and a seventh rig, the Ocean Scepter, was en route from Uruguay for a six-well drilling program in the GOM. Four of those rigs are independent-leg cantilevered units, two are mat-supported cantilevered units, and one is a mat-supported slot unit. We cold-stacked the three mat-supported jack-up rigs located in the GOM during the second quarter of 2009 and are no longer actively marketing these drilling units. Of our seven remaining jack-up rigs, all of which are independent-leg cantilevered units, two each were located offshore Egypt and Mexico, and one was located offshore each of Indonesia, Croatia and the Joint Petroleum Development Area, or JPDA, between Australia and Timor Leste.
Fleet Enhancements and Additions. Our long-term strategy has been to economically upgrade our fleet to meet customer demand for advanced, efficient, high-tech rigs, particularly deepwater semisubmersibles, in order to maximize the utilization of, and dayrates earned by, the rigs in our fleet. During 2009, we acquired two new-build deepwater, semisubmersible, dynamically-positioned drilling rigs, the Ocean Courage (June 2009) and the Ocean Valor (September 2009). As of January 25, 2010, the Ocean Courage was in process of completing its commissioning and preparing for its first contract in the GOM, which we expect to begin in the first quarter of 2010. We expect commissioning of the Ocean Valor to be completed in Singapore in the first quarter of 2010.
In addition, excluding our two new deepwater floaters acquired in 2009, we have, since 1995, increased the number of our rigs capable of operating in 3,500 feet or more of water from three rigs to 14 (11 of which are high-specification units), primarily by upgrading our existing fleet. Seven of these upgrades were to our Victory-class semisubmersible rigs, the design of which is well-suited for significant upgrade projects. We have two additional Victory-class intermediate semisubmersibles that could potentially be upgraded at some time in the future.
Offshore Contract Drilling Services
Our contracts to provide offshore drilling services vary in their terms and provisions. We typically obtain our contracts through competitive bidding, although it is not unusual for us to be awarded drilling contracts without competitive bidding. Our drilling contracts generally provide for a basic drilling rate on a fixed dayrate basis regardless of whether or not such drilling results in a productive well. Drilling contracts may also provide for lower rates during periods when the rig is being moved or when drilling operations are interrupted or restricted by equipment breakdowns, adverse weather conditions or other conditions beyond our control. Under dayrate contracts, we generally pay the operating expenses of the rig, including wages and the cost of incidental supplies. Historically, dayrate contracts have accounted for the majority of our revenues. In addition, from time to time, our dayrate contracts may also provide for the ability to earn an incentive bonus from our customer based upon performance.
A dayrate drilling contract generally extends over a period of time covering either the drilling of a single well or a group of wells, which we refer to as a well-to-well contract, or a fixed term, which we refer to as a term contract, and may be terminated by the customer in the event the drilling unit is destroyed or lost or if drilling operations are suspended for an extended period of time as a result of a breakdown of equipment or, in some cases, due to other events beyond the control of either party to the contract. In addition, certain of our contracts permit the customer to terminate the contract early by giving notice, and in most circumstances may require the payment of an early termination fee by the customer. The contract term in many instances may also be extended by the customer exercising options for the drilling of additional wells or for an additional length of time, generally at competitive market rates and mutually agreeable terms at the time of the extension.
Operations Outside the United States
Our operations outside the U.S. accounted for approximately 66%, 59% and 50% of our total consolidated revenues for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively. See “Risk Factors – A significant portion of our operations are conducted outside the United States and involve additional risks not associated with domestic operations,” “Risk Factors – Our drilling contracts offshore Mexico expose us to greater risks than we normally assume” and “Risk Factors – Fluctuations in exchange rates and nonconvertibility of currencies could result in losses to us” in Item 1A of this report, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Employees
As of December 31, 2009, we had approximately 5,500 workers, including international crew personnel furnished through independent labor contractors. We have experienced satisfactory labor relations and provide comprehensive benefit plans for our employees.