Noble Corporation Baar

Type: Public
On the web: http://www.noblecorp.com
Employees: 6,000
Employee growth: (9.1%)

Noble Corporation may be heir to a fortune as demand increases for deepwater oil and gas contract drilling services. The company, with operations in waters off the coasts of five continents, has a fleet of 63 offshore drilling units: three submersibles, four dynamically positioned drillships, 13 semisubmersibles, and 43 jack-up rigs. Many of its rigs are capable of operating in depths greater than 5,000 feet. About 85% of the company's drilling fleet is deployed in international markets, primarily in the Middle East, India, Mexico, the North Sea, Brazil, and West Africa. Noble (which is domiciled in Switzerland) also provides labor contract drilling, well site, and project management services.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2008:
Sales: $3,446.5M
One year growth: 15.1%
Net income: $1,561.0M
Income growth: 29.4%

Officers:
Chairman, President, and CEO: David W. Williams
SVP Operations: Donald E. (Don) Jacobsen
SVP, CFO, Treasurer, and Controller: Thomas L. Mitchell

Competitors:
Diamond Offshore
Nabors Industries
Transocean