The arrival comes amid growing uncertainties surrounding the incumbent administration's flagship projects, including the exploration, which have been fueled by President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt last week.
The West Capella, operated by Norway-based Seadrill Ltd., will load necessary supplies over the next seven to eight days before launching its first operation, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the state-run Korea National Oil Corp.
The drillship is set to depart for the first drilling site around next Tuesday for the exploration project, which could potentially uncover between 3.5 billion and 14 billion barrels of gas and oil.
"The large-scale ship cannot dock at Busan New Port due to its shallow waters. The West Capella will anchor at a distance where it will be faintly visible from the Yeongdo district of Busan," an industry official said.
During an interview with Yonhap News Agency earlier this month, Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said that while a full analysis may take some time, the government is expected to confirm evidence of the presence of gas and oil in the first half of 2025.
The 228-meter-long West Capella was built by South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries Co. in 2008 and boasts a maximum drilling depth of 37,500 feet, or 11.43 kilometers.
The exploration project, however, has faced hurdles as the main opposition Democratic Party has pledged to cut the entire 49.7 billion-won (US$34.9 million) budget allocated for the drilling operation in 2025.
Political turmoil has also created even greater uncertainties following Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial law last week, with his subsequent remarks suggesting he would leave all decisions, including the possibility of his term ending early, to the ruling People Power Party.
