Seadrill’s main owner, billionaire John Fredriksen, is close to a deal with unsecured bondholders and South Korean shipyards on a restructuring plan for the rig operator, Reuters reported. The Norwegian company, which last year filed for bankruptcy protection in a U.S. court, has been working with creditors since last month on a restructuring plan to bring in more than $1 billion in fresh funding, allow it to maintain its fleet of rigs and pay creditors and staff. The breakthrough in the talks came after Seadrill agreed on claims from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Samsung Heavy Industries under Seadrill-guaranteed newbuild contracts for four drillships. The South Korean companies had previously claimed a total of $1.7 billion in contingent liabilities.
