National Drilling Company (NDC), an Adnoc (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) Group company, has celebrated the inauguration of its new state-of-the-art jack-up rig manufactured in the UAE in the Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah.

This raises the number of new offshore rigs acquired by NDC and, manufactured by Lamprell, a UAE-based company, to eight as part of a series of nine similar units, reported Wam, the Emirates official news agency.

The ceremony was attended by Sheikh Saud bin Khalid bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, advisor at the office of the Ruler of Sharjah and Abdul Munim Saif Al Kindy, Adnoc director of Exploration Development and Production.

Abdalla Saeed Al Suwaidi, NDC chief executive officer said: "NDC’s acquisition of new state-of-the-art jack-up rigs is underpinning Adnoc’s objective to maximize the value of our resources, pioneering profitable and efficient technologies that will support our capabilities to meet the demands of an ever-changing energy market, and continue to have a positive impact on the Abu Dhabi economy for generations to come. The inauguration of ‘Al Hudairiyat’ marks another milestone on our ambitious journey to longer term strategic growth and competitiveness."

Al Hudairiyat is an effective addition to the NDC fleet of modern rigs. It will help NDC maintain the highest levels of operational efficiency and reliability for the benefit of its clients across the Adnoc Group of companies.

"We are responsive to short term needs and requirements across the Adnoc Group and, at the same time, stay abreast of the long term plans,” Al Suwaidi added.

The mega project of building and acquiring a series of nine world-class jack-up rigs has produced success after success, not only for the partners involved, but for the UAE in general. All nine rigs were built here in the UAE to the highest quality and international standards. The achievement demonstrates world standard capability and represents a great source of pride.

NDC's partnership with Lamprell to manufacture offshore jack-up rigs in the UAE has made the country the first and only country in the region capable of building such critically engineered, high-tech oil and gas rigs.

Christopher McDonald, chief executive officer of Lamprell said: "We are proud of the on-time delivery of this advanced jack-up rig to NDC, our largest client. This helps to cement our deep relationship with our key client, NDC. As we complete this major project to the required high standards and quality, we are proud to construct this latest rig in the UAE for use in the UAE, further strengthening our existing solid ties."