ONGC postpones pre-bid for deepwater rig
ONGC has postponed from 16th April to 30th April a pre-bid meeting to discuss its deepwater rig requirements.
No reason was given for the delay and a potential bidder tells this report that notice of the change came on 16th April itself. “I'm certain many (disappointed) overseas bidders must have sent in teams for the pre-bid.
†Contractor interest in the ONGC tender is huge, with 17 tender documents sold. Transocean bought three, Mercator bought two while Halliburton, Maersk, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Great Offshore, Great Ship, Deepwater Services, Saipem, Odfjell, Frigstad, Aban Loyd Chiles, and Saag Drilling bought one each.
ONGC wants the rig mobilised by December 2008 and is offering a three-year, integrated services contract. ONGC needs a new deepwater rig to replace Belford Dolphin, which has concluded her contract.
Transocean, Saipem and Maersk are frontrunners to win the contract, despite the large number of bid documents sold.