Mizuho and WestLB led an international group of lenders in a $547 million financing for a new-generation deepwater drillship. The drillship, one of the world’s largest, is being built in Korea for Mexican energy/construction company Grupo R and will be leased to Pemex. It has capacity to operate in depths of up to 10,000 feet and can drill up to 35,000 feet.

Pareto Securities and DNB Markets are in the market with a bond offering for a subsidiary of Brazil-listed oil and gas services company OSX. The 3-year senior secured bond is expected to pay a coupon of 8.5-9.5% and raise USD 400-500 million to go towards funding the construction and installation of one VLCC size FPSO. The OSX-3 FPSO is currently under construction at Singapore’s Jurong Shipyard and is scheduled for delivery on September 25, 2013.

By George Weltman and Mike McCleery