Transocean to buy Whom?

So, the word is, is that Transocean is ready to merge or acquire someone. What is everyones thoughts? Vantage, Atwoods, Rowan, Pacific?? From what I understand Rowan is very interesting to them, because it also gets them back into the shallow water drilling again, plus their new drillships are very nice from HHI.

[QUOTE=PDCMATE;120615]So, the word is, is that Transocean is ready to merge or acquire someone. What is everyones thoughts? Vantage, Atwoods, Rowan, Pacific?? From what I understand Rowan is very interesting to them, because it also gets them back into the shallow water drilling again, plus their new drillships are very nice from HHI.[/QUOTE]

Anyone but Pacific Drilling sounds good to me.

[QUOTE=PDCMATE;120615]So, the word is, is that Transocean is ready to merge or acquire someone. What is everyones thoughts? Vantage, Atwoods, Rowan, Pacific?? From what I understand Rowan is very interesting to them, because it also gets them back into the shallow water drilling again, plus their new drillships are very nice from HHI.[/QUOTE]

From all of the choices you have it would have to be Rowan. Vantage has TOO much debt. Atwood is well established. Pacific is not selling. That only leaves Rowan, but they are well established also. I would think it would be the oppositeā€¦Someone is getting ready to buy Transocean.

[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;120621]From all of the choices you have it would have to be Rowan. Vantage has TOO much debt. Atwood is well established. Pacific is not selling. That only leaves Rowan, but they are well established also. I would think it would be the oppositeā€¦Someone is getting ready to buy Transocean.[/QUOTE]

I was told by someone in the TOI office that Rowan is looking very enticing over there, and apparently they want to get some more shallow water units again, and since Pacific does not offer this, they are not as appealing. Vantage, even though it has debt you could almost purchase the company (51%) for under $800 million, so its not as much risk. Atwoods is also a good play because of their size, newbuilds and midwater and shallow water units. Another one to throw out from what I hear is Ocean Rig, which would be similar to Pacific, a little more though in cost. But, I agree, please not Pacific, not sure how they would manage when half of the crews would leave.