Two drilling ships owned by Valaris PLC, Valaris DS 4 and Ensco DS 8, arrived at Peelport Hunterston Iron Oil Terminal Moorings close to the Nuclear Power Station near Fairlie, North Ayrshire on 28 December 2020 for warm stacking, and they have been there ever since.

Valaris DS 4 was built in 2010 in South Korea and currently sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. Ensco DS 8 also sails under the same flag being built later in 2015.

It is likely that the vessels will remain in their current location for some years, as it could take up to two years to reactivate idle rigs.

Valaris PLC was last year hit hard by the global Coronavirus pandemic with oil prices crashing which forced oil companies to cut back on exploration and preserve cash.

Report and photo by Paul Biggs