Offshore drilling in Ghana is set for a new phase as Tullow Oil secures the Noble Faye Kozack drillship for a campaign covering up to 10 wells and scheduled to begin in mid-2027. The award to Noble Corporation provides continuity to the development program for the Jubilee and TEN fields, where the operator seeks to transform new seismic data into drilling targets capable of sustaining production and expanding reserves..
The contract also represents the materialization of a program that Tullow had been preparing for 2027-2028. In August, the company reported that it was progressing with the contracting of a unit for the so-called Campaign 2, designed to drill up to 10 wells during that period. The financial value of the new contract has not been publicly disclosed in the announcements reviewed.
Offshore Drilling in Ghana Adds Up to 10 New Wells
The arrival of the Noble Faye Kozack will open a new phase of activity following Tullow’s 2025-2026 campaign. Target selection for the upcoming program is supported by 4D seismic and Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) data acquired over Jubilee and TEN.
This relationship between seismic data and drilling is particularly relevant. 4D data make it possible to observe changes in reservoir behavior during production, while nodes installed on the seabed improve subsurface characterization and help reduce uncertainty before drilling.
Ghana had already deployed this technological strategy through the deepwater node seismic survey over the Jubilee and TEN fields, specifically designed to provide higher-resolution information for the next phases of development.
Tullow said in August that the interpretation of 4D seismic data had provided key reservoir information and contributed to target selection for its previous campaign. Production wells J76-P, J77-P and J50-P came online between June and August 2026, with initial results that the company described as meeting or exceeding its expectations.
Noble Faye Kozack Can Drill Up to 40,000 Feet
The campaign will use a unit designed for ultra-deepwater operations. Built in 2013, the Noble Faye Kozack uses a Samsung 12000 Double Hull design and can operate in water depths of up to 12,000 feet, equivalent to approximately 3,658 meters. Its maximum drilling depth capacity reaches 40,000 feet, or about 12,192 meters.
Before mobilizing to Ghana, the drillship will have to complete its current program in Brazil. A Noble fleet report from July placed the unit under contract with Petrobras until January 2027, linking its deployment in South America with the subsequent African campaign.
The award also expands Noble’s operational backlog in a market where high-specification drillships continue to secure new campaigns. The company recently secured other offshore work, including a USD 136.2 million contract for the Noble Viking in Asia Pacific and a three-well program with bp for another unit in its fleet.
Jubilee and TEN Support the Tullow Strategy in Ghana
The contract gains greater significance because of the operating horizon of the two assets. In February, the Parliament of Ghana ratified the extension until December 31, 2040, of the West Cape Three Points and Deep Water Tano petroleum agreements, which cover Jubilee and TEN.
Tullow considers both fields its principal assets in Ghana. During 2025, Jubilee produced an average of 60,900 gross barrels per day, while TEN reached 16,000 gross bpd. The company also states that it has drilled more than 70 deepwater development wells across both fields and sees potential for up to 20 additional infill wells at Jubilee, along with oil and gas opportunities at TEN.
The strategy does not end with drilling. Tullow agreed to acquire, on behalf of the project partners, the TEN FPSO Prof. John Evans Atta Mills for USD 205 million gross, with closing expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027. The company expects to eliminate leasing costs and generate operational synergies between TEN and the Jubilee field.
Subsea infrastructure is also receiving attention. A multi-year contract at Jubilee includes inspection, maintenance and repair of subsea infrastructure in deepwater Ghana, including work on wellheads and other facilities.
Ghana Prepares the Next Stage of Jubilee and TEN
The contracting of the Noble Faye Kozack connects three elements of Tullow’s strategy: advanced seismic data, new wells and production infrastructure. The results obtained through OBN and 4D seismic make it possible to select targets; the drillship will provide the capacity to drill them; and the Jubilee and TEN FPSOs provide the infrastructure through which hydrocarbons can be incorporated into the production system.
Tullow also reported availability above 99% for the Jubilee and TEN FPSOs during the first half of 2026, while advancing additional projects such as subsea pumps, gas monetization and future drilling campaigns.
For this reason, the up to 10 wells planned for 2027-2028 represent more than the new contracting of an offshore unit. The campaign will be the next test to determine how much of the information obtained from the subsurface can be converted into new barrels, reserves and greater utilization of two assets that Tullow will be able to develop through 2040.
Primary source: Offshore Engineer / Tullow Oil / Tullow Oil — Ghana Operations
