ADNOC Drilling has secured two contracts to supply a pair of mobile offshore drilling rigs to Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), with a combined maximum value of around KD96.56 million ($315 million), according to the specialist platform Attaqa.

The award followed approval by the Supreme Purchasing Committee at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, as published in Kuwait's official gazette. A review of bids showed the Emirati firm submitted the lowest prices while meeting the tender's technical requirements and specifications. Its two bids were valued at KD43.26 million ($141 million) and KD53.3 million ($174 million).

KOC launched the tender at the end of 2025 for two jack-up rigs to carry out a programme of eight high-pressure, high-temperature exploration wells under contracts of up to four years. The work calls for rigs fitted with 15,000 psi blowout preventers, capable of operating where hydrogen sulphide concentrations may reach 20%. Water depths at the sites range from 26 to 68 feet, with target well depths of about 21,000 feet, and some locations lie in environmentally sensitive waters.

Bidders invited included Saudi Arabian drilling firm Arabian Drilling, Egyptian Drilling Company, Italy's Saipem, Nabors Drilling International, Sinopec International Petroleum Service and China Oilfield Services.

The contracts come as Kuwait steps up offshore exploration following three significant discoveries in 2024 and 2025. These include the Al-Nokhatha offshore field, announced in July 2024 with estimated reserves of 3.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent; the Al-Julaiaa field in January 2025, with about 800 million barrels of medium crude; and the Jazah field in October 2025, holding the equivalent of 350 million barrels of oil.

The second phase of Kuwait's offshore exploration project includes a programme to drill 17 wells.