DryShips Inc , a Greek dry cargo transporter and oil and gas driller, has exercised options to build two ultra-deepwater drillships with a South Korean shipyard, reckoning that demand for drilling services is strong across the globe. Hoping that rising crude oil prices will spur demand for its services, DryShips late last year secured options with Samsung Heavy Industries to build four drillships, each likely to cost about $600 million. DryShips owns six ultradeepwater drilling units, comprising two semisubmersible rigs and four drillships, two of which will be delivered to the company in 2011. Though one of its under-construction drillships is yet to win a contract, DryShips has felt that demand necessitates it to grow its fleet -- and quickly.
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