Hanoi, Oct. 7 -- PV Drilling VIII, the jack-up rig once called West Prospero during its time with Seadrill Group, is back after almost a decade sidelined. For the Petrovietnam Drilling & Well Service Corp. (PV Drilling), the reactivation goes beyond engineering, it's a calculated step to sharpen its edge and reaffirm big ambition in the oil and gas drilling industry.

The rig sat dormant for nearly 10 years, leaving much of its gear obsolete, especially the drive and drilling controls. The original maker said its old inverter lines were discontinued, with no spares or support service on offer. The challenge was to revamp the whole setup fast, while meshing seamlessly with NOV Inc.'s Amphion electronic drilling controls.

Dang Trung Du, he...