Drilling News


Amazon Nations Summit Faces Fault Lines on Oil, Deforestation

Aug 08, 2023

Eight Amazon rainforest nations are expected to face divisions over proposals to block new oil drilling and end deforestation when they meet on Tuesday for their first summit in 14 years.The meeting of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) gathers heads of state from Bolivia…

OMV Sets the Drill Bit in Motion for Velocette Well Offshore Norway

Aug 08, 2023

Austrian oil and gas company OMV has started drilling operations on the Velocette exploration well in production license 1016, offshore Norway.The news of the drilling start was shared Tuesday by Longboat Energy, a 20% partner in the offshore block…

APA's Appraisal Well Confirms Extension of Oil Resources Offshore Suriname

Aug 04, 2023

APA Corp. said on Wednesday its most recent appraisal well in Block 58 off Suriname's coast confirmed the extension of oil resources 14 kilometers from the discovery well.APA's exploration in Suriname has been closely watched as it could become Suriname's first commercial deepwater project…

Australian Operations Continue: INPEX Extends Noble Deliverer Rig Contract

Aug 04, 2023

INPEX Operations Australia, an Australian subsidiary of the Japanese firm INPEX, has exercised an option to extend the contract for the ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig Noble Deliverer for drilling at the Ichthys field in the Browse Basin offshore Western Australia…

Libya: Eni Lifts 2014 Exploration Force Majeure

Aug 03, 2023

Today, Eni formalized with its Libyan counterpart NOC the revocation of force majeure status on exploration areas A and B (onshore), and C (offshore), where Eni is the operator with a 42.5% stake, along with BP, 42.5%, and the Libyan Investment Authority with 15%…

Offshore Sector Dominates Oil & Gas Exploration Spending, But Results Disappointing in 2023

Aug 02, 2023

Spending on conventional oil and gas exploration is on the rise and is set to top $50 billion this year, led by offshore investments, however, discovery volumes are falling to new lows, despite the rising investments. This is according to Rystad Energy…

Shelf Drilling Wins $17M Contract for Offshore Drilling Rig in UK North Sea

Aug 02, 2023

Offshore drilling company Shelf Drilling has won a contract for the Shelf Drilling Fortress jack-up drilling rig with a European subsidiary of the Chinese oil company CNOOC in the UK North Sea.Under the contract, the rig, owned by Shelf Drilling's subsidiary Shelf Drilling North Sea…

Borr Drilling's Backlog Increased by 421 Days with New Jack-up Rig Deals

Aug 01, 2023

Jack-up drilling rig contractor Borr Drilling said Monday it had secured two letters of award ('LOA') for its premium jack-up drilling rigs 'Gerd' and 'Thor.'These awards increase the company's firm backlog by approximately 421 days, excluding optional periods…

Valaris to Reactivate Drillship for $364M West Africa Contract

Jul 31, 2023

Offshore drilling firm Valaris said Monday it had secured a 12-well contract offshore West Africa for drillship VALARIS DS-7. Valaris will reactivate the drillship for this contract. The contract, with an undisclosed client, is expected to start…

Guyana Extends Offshore Oil Block Bids Deadline to Attract New Explorers

Jul 28, 2023

Guyana extended to Sept. 12 a deadline for companies to submit bids for its first competitive auction of oil blocks, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.The South American nation has delayed the offer of 14 offshore blocks four times before…

Kuwait to Drill Durra Field before Iran Border Demarcation

Jul 27, 2023

Kuwait oil minister Saad Al Barrak told SkyNews Arabia on Thursday that his country will start drilling and begin production at the Durra gas field without waiting for border demarcation with Iran. Al Barrak has previously said that Kuwait and…

Ithaca Energy Strikes Hydrocarbons at UK North Sea Prospect

Jul 27, 2023

UK North Sea-focused oil and gas company Ithaca Energy said Thursday it had discovered hydrocarbons at its K2 prospect, located in Block 22/14c of the Central North Sea of the UK Continental Shelf.Upon entering the reservoir, Ithaca Energy, acting as the operator…

Hess Makes Oil Discovery in U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Eyes Tubular Bells Tie-back

Jul 26, 2023

U.S.-based oil company Hess said Wednesday it had made an oil discovery at the Pickerel-1 exploration well in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.The well is located in Mississippi Canyon Block 727, where Hess holds a 100% stake.The well encountered approximately 90 feet of net pay in high quality…

Transocean Barents Leaves Norway. Takes on New Challenge in Lebanon's Offshore Sector

Jul 24, 2023

Transocean Barents, Transocean's semi-submersible drilling rig, which is used to operating in harsher environments such as those in Norway, the UK, and Canada, is now moving to the Mediterranean Sea.Namely, TotalEnergies has informed that the…

Petronas Makes Six Oil and Gas Discoveries Offshore Sarawak

Jul 24, 2023

Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas Carigali said Monday it had made six oil and gas discoveries in five blocks offshore Sarawak, Malaysia.Petronas said that the discoveries were achieved on the back of an intensive domestic exploration drilling…

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