Transocean Ltd. is one of the world's largest offshore drilling contractors.

Randy Smith, an assistant drilling superintendent for Key Energy, a local drilling contractor, had all his 32 rigs working earlier this year.

Maersk Drilling is the 9th largest drilling contractor worldwide.

Mr. Bryant has chosen to match wits with a veritable pantheon of major drilling contractors, independent oil companies and well-heeled corporate defense lawyers.

To avoid these problems, oil companies and their drilling contractors rely on the services of tubular inspection companies.

In a normal scenario, gas/oil-drilling (exploration) companies rent or lease rigs from another company that owns the rig, the drilling contractor.

The majority of the personnel on the drilling rig, called 'the rig crew', are employees of the drilling contractor.

Rig operations and maintenance and crew upkeep are attended to by the toolpusher, who works for the drilling contractor.

Furthermore, through the purchase of another company, it owned seven other vessels and became Britain's biggest offshore drilling contractor.

The deal would create one of the world's largest drilling contractors and oil-service companies.