New Norwegian drilling outfit Eldorado Drilling has successfully raised finance to assist its acquisition of two newbuild high-specification drillships that are understood to be still under construction.

The company is backed by well-known drilling investor Tor Olav Troim and a host of Norwegian household names, including hotels tycoon Petter Stordalen.

Fearnley Securities said in a LinkedIn post it acted as a joint bookrunner in the private placement of $70 million in connection with Eldorado Drilling’s acquisition of “two high-specification ultra-deepwater drillship newbuildings”.