Keppel AmFELS delivers fifth jackup to Mexico’s Perforadora Central

BROWNSVILLE, Texas -- Keppel AmFELS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine in the U.S., has delivered Uxpanapa, a KFELS B Class jackup rig, to Mexico's Central Panuco, a subsidiary of Mexico's Perforadora Central S.V. De C.V.

The rig was christened on Wednesday at Keppel AmFELS' yard in Brownsville, Texas, by the owners of Central Panuco.

Uxpanapa is the fifth jackup rig built by Keppel AmFELS for Perforadora Central and the second based on Keppel's proprietary KFELS B Class design.

Uxpanapa will be chartered by Pemex for work offshore Mexico. Keppel AmFELS' past collaboration with PEMEX includes having built two 220-men accommodation modules for Pemex in 2006, as well as repairing and servicing a total of 18 rigs for various drilling operators that have been chartered by Pemex over the years.

Patricio Alvarez Morphy Orvañanos, senior V.P. of Central Panuco, said, "In the current challenging market conditions, oil companies such as PEMEX prefer highly cost-efficient and reliable equipment, such as the KFELS B Class jackup rig, which has a proven track record operating in Mexico. The Tonala, our current KFELS B Class jackup, has been performing outstandingly for PEMEX.”