Aquadrill, formerly Seadrill Partners, an affiliate of John Fredriksen’s Seadrill Limited, has secured a one-well contract with Equinor for the 2013-built drillship Vela in the US Gulf of Mexico.

The total firm contract value is expected to be around $55m with commencement scheduled for October this year and running until April 2022.

The drillship previously operated in the Gulf of Mexico for BP under a contract that expired in May this year. The rig will be managed and operated by Seadrill Limited, which owns 34 and manages 11 drilling rigs.

Seadrill Partners emerged from chapter 11 at the end of May after completing its reorganisation plan. The plan has equitised around $2.8bn in funded debt obligations, leaving the company debt-free on emergence.