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PR Newswire
08-07-2013, 08:41 AM
Its Quality and Trust that Chinese yards cannot accord to customers for sometime coming... simply look at all the scams and sickening attitude towards environment and their own people, it will take years for an attitude revamp...
Rig-building giant unswayed by keener competition
To stay on top, Keppel Fels meets delivery deadlines, keeps to budget
Published on Jul 08, 2013
Keppel Fels is delivering a record 20 rigs this year, well over the previous peak of 13 in 2009. This comes amid reports of job layoffs at Chinese shipyards as they diversify into rig-building to offset a ship order slump. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
By Alvin Foo
OIL rig-building yards in China may offer lower prices and more attractive financing, but Keppel Fels remains unfazed by talk of keener competition and tighter margins.
The world’s largest rig-builder has its own competitive edge – on-time delivery and costs that are kept within budget.
Keppel Fels managing director Wong Kok Seng told The Straits Times: “Look at our orders. The Chinese story has been there for at least two years now, but today, we’re still getting our B Class orders. This year alone, when the Chinese have been playing in full swing, we’ve already got eight jack-ups. It sends a clear message.”
This year, Keppel Fels is delivering a record 20 rigs, well over the previous peak of 13 seen in 2009.
Its Tuas yard was abuzz with activity during a recent visit by The Straits Times, with workers clocking overtime hours and the building docks fully occupied.
Mr Wong’s comments come amid reports of widespread job layoffs at Chinese shipyards even as they diversify into rig-building to offset their ship order slump. There has also been the recent credit crunch on the mainland.
The B Class is Keppel’s signature rig and is its most popular design. Since 2010, its B Class rigs have accounted for about 45 per cent of the total number ordered among rigs of its class globally.
Developed by its technology arm and launched in 2000, the rig is able to operate in water depths of up to 120m and drill to depths of 9,000m.
Keppel Fels just delivered its 45th B Class rig recently – a fitting milestone given that this year is parent company Keppel Corp’s 45th anniversary.
This rig was sent to Arabian Drilling Company 14 days ahead of schedule, on budget and with a perfect safety record, bagging Keppel Fels an early delivery bonus of US$210,000 (S$270,000). The rig will be chartered to Saudi Aramco for use in offshore Saudi Arabia.
Having on-time delivery and a more efficient rig could translate into substantial cost savings.
“In our industry especially, time is money,” said Mr Wong.
With usage rates calculated on a daily basis, and costing about US$150,000 to US$190,000 a day, having a more efficient rig can result in cost savings of several million dollars per drilling project. This could amount to many more millions of dollars, if one considers that the lifespan of a rig is typically at least 20 years.
A recent Credit Suisse report noted that the Chinese yards are catching up but have yet to establish a track record in rig-building.
The report followed a meeting with Singapore’s Falcon Energy, which entered the offshore drilling market through its ordering of two jack-up rigs with Chinese yard CMHI in October 2011.
Credit Suisse noted that the Chinese yards are becoming more competitive, as they are able to offer attractive payment terms with generous support from state banks and credit agencies.
It added: “They generally require down payment of about 10 per cent, lower than the 20 per cent required by Singapore yards.”
But Falcon’s management told Credit Suisse that they would require active supervision during construction.
Mr Wong said his customers are largely bona fide drilling contractors, as opposed to speculators who typically come in with a 5 per cent deposit and attempt to flip the rig in a short time span.
He added: “They do not come to us just because the market is hot.”
alfoo@sph.com.sg
Background story
STRONG TRACK RECORD
“Look at our orders. The Chinese story has been there for at least two years now, but today, we’re still getting our B Class orders.
This year alone, when the Chinese have been playing in full swing, we’ve already got eight jack-ups. It sends a clear message.”
– Keppel Fels managing director Wong Kok Seng
Rig-building giant unswayed by keener competition
To stay on top, Keppel Fels meets delivery deadlines, keeps to budget
Published on Jul 08, 2013
Keppel Fels is delivering a record 20 rigs this year, well over the previous peak of 13 in 2009. This comes amid reports of job layoffs at Chinese shipyards as they diversify into rig-building to offset a ship order slump. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
By Alvin Foo
OIL rig-building yards in China may offer lower prices and more attractive financing, but Keppel Fels remains unfazed by talk of keener competition and tighter margins.
The world’s largest rig-builder has its own competitive edge – on-time delivery and costs that are kept within budget.
Keppel Fels managing director Wong Kok Seng told The Straits Times: “Look at our orders. The Chinese story has been there for at least two years now, but today, we’re still getting our B Class orders. This year alone, when the Chinese have been playing in full swing, we’ve already got eight jack-ups. It sends a clear message.”
This year, Keppel Fels is delivering a record 20 rigs, well over the previous peak of 13 seen in 2009.
Its Tuas yard was abuzz with activity during a recent visit by The Straits Times, with workers clocking overtime hours and the building docks fully occupied.
Mr Wong’s comments come amid reports of widespread job layoffs at Chinese shipyards even as they diversify into rig-building to offset their ship order slump. There has also been the recent credit crunch on the mainland.
The B Class is Keppel’s signature rig and is its most popular design. Since 2010, its B Class rigs have accounted for about 45 per cent of the total number ordered among rigs of its class globally.
Developed by its technology arm and launched in 2000, the rig is able to operate in water depths of up to 120m and drill to depths of 9,000m.
Keppel Fels just delivered its 45th B Class rig recently – a fitting milestone given that this year is parent company Keppel Corp’s 45th anniversary.
This rig was sent to Arabian Drilling Company 14 days ahead of schedule, on budget and with a perfect safety record, bagging Keppel Fels an early delivery bonus of US$210,000 (S$270,000). The rig will be chartered to Saudi Aramco for use in offshore Saudi Arabia.
Having on-time delivery and a more efficient rig could translate into substantial cost savings.
“In our industry especially, time is money,” said Mr Wong.
With usage rates calculated on a daily basis, and costing about US$150,000 to US$190,000 a day, having a more efficient rig can result in cost savings of several million dollars per drilling project. This could amount to many more millions of dollars, if one considers that the lifespan of a rig is typically at least 20 years.
A recent Credit Suisse report noted that the Chinese yards are catching up but have yet to establish a track record in rig-building.
The report followed a meeting with Singapore’s Falcon Energy, which entered the offshore drilling market through its ordering of two jack-up rigs with Chinese yard CMHI in October 2011.
Credit Suisse noted that the Chinese yards are becoming more competitive, as they are able to offer attractive payment terms with generous support from state banks and credit agencies.
It added: “They generally require down payment of about 10 per cent, lower than the 20 per cent required by Singapore yards.”
But Falcon’s management told Credit Suisse that they would require active supervision during construction.
Mr Wong said his customers are largely bona fide drilling contractors, as opposed to speculators who typically come in with a 5 per cent deposit and attempt to flip the rig in a short time span.
He added: “They do not come to us just because the market is hot.”
alfoo@sph.com.sg
Background story
STRONG TRACK RECORD
“Look at our orders. The Chinese story has been there for at least two years now, but today, we’re still getting our B Class orders.
This year alone, when the Chinese have been playing in full swing, we’ve already got eight jack-ups. It sends a clear message.”
– Keppel Fels managing director Wong Kok Seng
