[TexasCajun]

The situation has created some anxiety for rig operators who believed the jack-up market in the Gulf would have come back by now.

With rigs leaving the GOM and newbuilds not keep pace to replace them, the value of the existing rigs staying should increase. ...should lead to long-term contracts for GOM jackups.

[thackney]

We would be better off opening more of our coastal waters to exploration, creating more local demand for the rigs and producing more of our resources.