Saudi Arabia’s ARO Drilling inks asset integrity MoU with Axess Group

AL KHOBAR, December 4, 2025 – Saudi offshore drilling specialist ARO Drilling has signed an MoU with Norway’s Axess Group for asset integrity management services across ARO’s rig fleet, Axess Group announced on Tuesday.

The partnership will see Axess Middle East deliver inspection, maintenance, fabrication and specialised services aimed at boosting the efficiency of ARO’s assets. The agreement builds on similar services already delivered by Axess for 16 of ARO’s rigs over the past two years.

“This MoU marks another milestone in Axess Group’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the Middle East and support clients with integrated, technology-driven integrity management solutions,” said Axess Group chief strategy execution officer Jostein Tverdal.

ARO Drilling is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and offshore drilling contractor Valaris. The company operates a fleet of high-specification jackup rigs and is in the process of replacing older units in its fleet with higher-specification Kingdom rigs. ARO Drilling’s Kingdom 3 and Kingdom 4 newbuilds are currently under construction at the International Maritime Industries yard in Ras Al Khair.

Read more about ARO Drilling’s fleet investments in our interview with Mohamed Hegazi, the company’s CEO, here.

Axess Group is a Norwegian engineering company that provides inspection, engineering and maintenance services for offshore and onshore industries worldwide.

Photo courtesy of ARO Drilling

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