Miss. business signs $50M deal

PASCAGIOULA, Miss. (AP) - Signal International will construct components to be used in a drillship reliability upgrade program for Noble Corp., an offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry.

The $50 million contract was announced in January.

Signal president Dick Marler tells the Mississippi Press in Pascagoula that the work will be performed at shipyards in Pascagoula, Miss., and Orange, Texas.

The Noble contract will upgrade drillships that are working under long-term contracts with Petrobras, a Brazilian oil producer.

The ship's living quarters and heliport will be built in the east bank yard in Pascagoula. Once completed, the components will be shipped to Brazil for installation.

The Texas yard will construct a new sponson, or an extension used for stabilization, and a new stern section to house generators, switchgear and thrusters.