Jackup drilling rig and liftboat operator Hercules Offshore Inc. said Monday it will evacuate all its nonessential expatriate personnel from Nigeria, amid increased attacks in the country on oil workers.
Hercules said the move is related to the decision by its customer Chevron Nigeria Ltd. to temporarily halt certain operations to protect its personnel.
Hercules said it will temporarily cease operating 10 liftboats and move them to a more protected area in Nigeria. Three vessels will continue to work for Chevron under increased security.
The affected vessels will earn a standby rate worth 75 percent of their normal rate, Hercules said.
Earlier on Monday, six gunmen seized a Nigerian staff member of the Italian oil company Agip, a subsidiary of Italian oil giant Eni SpA. Last week, armed militants abducted four Global Industries Ltd. employees after storming onto a construction vessel off Nigeria’s coast.
Hercules Offshore’s shares fell 80 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $31.40 Monday.