The contract is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, and estimated maximum contract revenues, including mobilization and client requested modifications, are expected to be about $536m.
The Pacific Mistral was delivered by Samsung Heavy Industries in June 2011.
The rig is equipped for and capable of operating in water depths of about 12,000ft and drilling wells 37,500ft deep.
In addition to three ultra-deepwater drillships delivered to date, Pacific Drilling expects delivery of an additional drillship during the fourth quarter of this year and has two drillships on order at Samsung for delivery during 2013.
