"IMO SEO wants to dump ERHC and concentrate fully on his other assets but we will make a lot more money if ERHC sticks around for a while."
IMO your right on both accounts.... that's why I think he relinquishes control and does some sort of deal.. That way he may just get a bit of both outcomes.
You have to understand that the AA at $410,000 or whatever the price is may not be a bargain if that ship takes twice as long to drill a well as the Pathfinder does. Not all drillships are created equal. You have to look at the time it takes to drill a well with a specific ship as well as the dayrates.