State-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has issued four tenders inviting companies to submit bids for contracts to supply a total of 85 oil rigs.

The acquisition of such a large number of oil rigs could signal that KOC expects a significant increase in upstream activity over the next two years.

According to Opec estimates, there were only 44 oil rigs active in the country over 2016.

Since 2016, the estimated number of oil rigs actively producing or exploring in Kuwait has moved higher. Opec estimates there were 55 active rigs in the country in July 2017.

One of the invitations to bid seeks the supply of 27 rigs including three 1,000HP rigs and 24 750HP rigs. The document states that the rigs are required for drilling shallow oil/water wells, work-over operations and ancillary services.

Another invitation to bid seeks the supply of seven 1,500HP rigs for “deep drilling and rig services”.

The third invitation to bid seeks the supply of 25 deep drilling rigs with 3,000HP, with the fourth tender for the supply of 26 rigs for drilling and work-over operations.

The invitations to tender were published on KOC’s tenders website, and the closing date for bids on all three tenders is 16 October.