A DESIGN engineering company has been awarded a contract to work on a drilling rig being built in South Korea.

Markhus, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, will provide the structural design of the living quarters on the semi-submersible rig, which is being built by Samsung Heavy Industries.

The design will be supplied to Shinhan Machinery Company, in South Korea, which is contracted to build the living quarters for Samsung.

Brian Vickers, director of Markhus, said the team of three at the Bishop Auckland office, in Kensington, Cockton Hill Road, have recently started working on the contract and are hoping to complete the design by early next year.

"We will provide the structural design for the living quarters of this enormous rig, which is being built in South Korea, and then will be relocated throughout the oceans of the world, wherever it is needed," he said.

"Our Norwegian parent company Markhus A/S will work on other design areas, including architecture, piping and safety."

The contract for Markhus (UK) and Markhus A/S is worth ten million Norwegian Krone, which is about £862,500.