The company's workshop team in Welshpool, Western Australia, and local contractors have upgraded the Foremost DR24 rig with features that improve the safety and productivity of the recently acquired rig.

Andrew Chandler, general manager of Easternwell which is a subsidiary of Broadspectrum, said the rig bolsters the drillers dual rotary operations with a fleet of eight rigs.

"With all of our dual rotary rigs gainfully employed in the field, we needed to increase our capacity to meet current and forecast demand, the most efficient option was to purchase a locally based rig and complete our upgrade programme that has been developed over the last few years.

"Our team has rebuilt this rig so that it is safer and more productive through integration with rod and casing loader, fitting of hydraulic rod breakouts, fitting of zero energy cut offs to drill platform, fitting of rotating foot clamps, installation of working at heights platform in mast, integration with discharge control unit and upgrade of tilting head capacity."

The rig is bound for Fortescue Metals' Solomon Hub in Western Australia's Pilbara Region and will be drilling exploration and production bores.