Aug 24, 2026 · Fleet
Rigs 17 and 18 accepted from the yard, fleet reaches eighteen units
Both deepwater semi-submersibles were accepted new with dual-activity derricks and crewed entirely from within the company, completing the planned fleet five weeks ahead of schedule.
Rigs 17 and 18, both moored semi-submersibles rated to 7,400 ft of water and 35,000 ft of drilling depth, were accepted from the yard and are mobilising to the Gulf of Mexico deepwater district.
Both were crewed from inside the company rather than by hiring in a deepwater crew wholesale. That slowed the build-up and was the right call: the people running them already know how Ameristar writes a procedure.
The drilling fleet is now complete at eighteen units — thirteen onshore AC-electric pad rigs, three cantilever jackups and two moored semi-submersibles. Every one was specified by Ameristar engineers and ordered new from the manufacturer. The company has never taken over another contractor's fleet.