KCA Deutag (KCAD) said today that it had clinched £41 million worth of new land drilling jobs in the Middle East, Russia, Europe and Africa since mid-February.

The Portlethen-headquartered firm said tendering activity was picking up, particularly in the Middle East, where a client has booked three desert rigs.

The rigs were built by Bentec, KCAD’s oilfield equipment manufacturer in Germany.

In Iraq, KCAD was handed a deal for a rig to drill seven wells for a global provider of products and services to the energy industry.  That drilling campaign should start in April and last until early next year.

KCAD won a five year contract for one of its rigs in Russia, where it has been operating since 2002.

The company also had recent success in Algeria, where it bagged a plugging and abandonment contract, which commences in June.

And two short term contracts, getting under way in September, were dished out to KCAD in Germany.

Simon Drew, president of KCAD’s land division, said: “It is good to see activity picking up in the international drilling industry once again across various markets, and whilst pricing remains very competitive, we are pleased to see this feeding through to an increase in utilisation across our land drilling fleet.”