Archer has won a £155 million land drilling contract with Argentina’s YPF.

The five-year deal is for three high specification drilling rigs currently under contract with YPF in the Vaca Muerta region of Argentina.

As part of the contract, the three rigs will be upgraded to meet technical specifications for the extended well design of YPF.

Two more rig upgrades could be added to the contract at a later stage.

Greg Helmen, Vice President of Land Drilling, Archer, said: “DLS has been providing drilling services to YPF for more than three decades, and we are proud to have been chosen to continue this strong partnership in developing one of the most prolific shale plays in the world.

“There has recently been a drive towards high specification rigs with capabilities to drill horizontal phases of more than 3000 meters in Vaca Muerta.

“These rig upgrades will secure Archer’s position as the leader in drilling services for unconventional plays in Argentina, and we look forward to continuing to provide safe and efficient operations to YPF for many more years to come.”