Total Contract Backlog Increases to $3.2 Billion

LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pacific Drilling S.A. (NYSE: PACD) announced today that its ultra-deepwater drillship the Pacific Sharav has been awarded a five-year contract by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. for operations in the United States Gulf of Mexico. Estimated maximum contract revenue, including mobilization and client requested modifications, is expected to be approximately $1,076 million, bringing Pacific Drilling’s total contract backlog as of June 22, 2012, to approximately $3.2 billion.

Pacific Drilling CEO Chris Beckett stated, “We are proud to announce the expansion of our relationship with Chevron to include a third drillship. This contract exemplifies our strategic commitment to building strong customer relationships and allows us to leverage the operations support infrastructure which we have already developed in the region.”

Pacific Sharav is scheduled for delivery by Samsung Heavy Industries in Korea in the fourth quarter of 2013, upon completion of construction and client requested modifications. The drillship will be capable of operating in water depths of up to 12,000 feet and drilling wells up to 40,000 feet deep.

About Pacific Drilling

With its best-in-class drillships and highly experienced team, Pacific Drilling is a fast growing company that is committed to becoming the industry’s preferred ultra-deepwater drilling contractor. Pacific Drilling’s fleet of seven ultra-deepwater drillships will represent one of the youngest and most technologically advanced fleets in the world. The company currently operates four recently delivered drillships, has two additional drillships under construction and one on order at Samsung. For more information about Pacific Drilling, including our current Fleet Status, please visit our website at www.pacificdrilling.com.

Statements regarding the estimated delivery of our drillships, estimated duration of client contracts, contract revenue amounts, backlog and other statements that are not historical facts in this press release are forward-looking statements and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and consequently actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of them in light of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Pacific Drilling