Seadrill is set to enter into an eight well drilling contract in offshore Equatorial Guinea for the semi-tender rig West Esperanza after being issued a letter of award by Hess Equatorial Guinea Inc.The contract is expected to be a minimum of 18 months, with corresponding potential revenues of approximately $127 million plus a mobilisation fee.West Esperanza, which Seadrill ordered on speculation in June 2011, is currently under construction at Keppel FELS yard in Singapore.Construction is scheduled for completion in early second quarter of 2013.Following mobilisation from Singapore to Equatorial Guinea, the rig is scheduled to commence operation at the end of the second quarter of 2013.Alf Thorkildsen, CEO in Seadrill Management AS, said: “We are delighted to have agreed our first operation for Hess in Africa. This award represents our first tender rig operation in Equatorial Guinea and grows the international footprint of the tender rig concept. Furthermore, the assignment confirms our strong market position within this segment and demonstrates the high demand for new premium offshore drilling equipment.”