Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG), Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE: DO), and Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) are best positioned to take advantage of the rising day rates and tight supply. Transocean recently contracted for a new rig in the North Sea at a day rate of $405,000 for 11 months, a 60% increase from previous contracts.
The analysts also say that the North Sea is the sweet spot for new drilling and that only 50% of the rigs currently working the Norths Sea are capable of midwater work. In addition to Transocean, which owns a total of 35 midwater rigs, Diamond (19 rigs), and Ensco (six rigs), Noble Corp. (NYSE: NE) owns 8 midwater rigs.
Stocks in the offshore drillers are trading down less than 1% today as crude prices remain nearly flat.
Paul Ausick