Drilling News


25-70 MMboe found near Gjøa

Sep 16, 2016

French operator ENGIE E&P has made a 25-70 MMboe discovery in the Cara well in the Norwegian North Sea. The well was drilled using the Transocean Arctic semisubmersible, in 349m water depth. It is 6km northeast of the ENGIE-operated Gjøa field (pictured)…

Cobalt cuts short Rowan drillship contract

Sep 16, 2016

Cobalt International has agreed to terminate its long-term contract for the Rowan Reliance drillship. The drilling contract was originally due to terminate on 1 February 2018. Instead, it will now end on 31 March 2017. Cobalt says it…

Providence in Irish rig tender

Sep 15, 2016

Providence Resources is putting a tender for a rig contract for the 2017 Druid drilling program in the southern Porcupine Basin in FEL 2/14, off the south west coast of Ireland. It is expected that the rig contract will be signed during Q4 2016 to facilitate summer 2017 drilling…

Vaalco ESP fails again, shuts-in well off Gabon

Sep 15, 2016

Houston’s Vaalco Energy has run into more trouble offshore Gabon, with electrical submersible pumps (ESP) continuing to fail, leaving a well shut-in. Map from Vaalco. Vaalco has experienced several issues with ESPs in recent months…

Frank's deploys FA-1 tool in GoM

Sep 15, 2016

Frank’s International provided its FA-1 casing running tool (CRT) for a project in the Gulf of Mexico that the company says established a new worldwide milestone in casing while drilling (CwD) operations. FA-1 was modified for 30in casing…

Wintershall makes minor discovery

Sep 15, 2016

German oil firm Wintershall has made a minor discovery near the Vega field in the Norwegian North Sea, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.  The discovery was made as part of a four-well drilling campaign in production license 248 F…

Eni reaches new Nooros record

Sep 12, 2016

Eni’s Nooros field offshore Egypt reached a new record in 13 months of 128,000 boe/d, with plans to drill more wells in the area. Image from Eni. The Italian giant confirmed production at Nooros reached 700 MMcf/d…

CNOOC starts at Weizhou

Sep 12, 2016

CNOOC Ltd. started production at the Weizhou 6-9/6-10 comprehensive adjustment project in the South China Sea. The Weizhou field is in the Beibu Gulf at about 35m water depth. In addition to fully utilizing the existing facilities of Weizhou 6-9/6-10…

Quadrant hits at Roc-2

Sep 09, 2016

Quadrant Energy has hit hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within the Caley section in the Roc-2 well in the North West Shelf, offshore Western Australia, partner Carnarvon Petroleum confirmed. The results were confirmed during logging while…

Turritella at Shell's Stones

Sep 09, 2016

SBM Offshore has released a video of the Turritella floating production and storage offloading (FPSO) unit, as the vessel started commercial production at Shell’s Stones development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico on 6 September. At Stones…

Lancaster offers Hurricane yet more pay

Sep 09, 2016

Hurricane Energy's pilot well on the basement reservoir Lancaster discovery West of Shetland has indicated resources 'significantly greater' than the firm's 200 MMbbl base case, the company said this morning.   Hurriane has completed…

Solaris uHPHT well dry

Sep 09, 2016

Despite achieving a drilling record, Total Norge's ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature Solaris well has been classified as dry. The well, 1/5-5, was the deepest well drilled on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, according to driller, Maersk Drilling…

JV trio drills Manora appraisal well

Sep 06, 2016

The Manora oil joint venture spudded the MNA-17 well offshore Thailand, in hopes of adding contingent resources at the development.  The project area is located in the Northern Gulf of Thailand, and is a partnership between Mubadala Petroleum (60%)…

Det norske to appraise Langfjellet

Sep 05, 2016

Det norske oljeselskap is to move ahead with an appraisal well on the Langfjellet discovery in the Norwegian North Sea.  The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted the firm a drilling permit for well 25/2-18 A using the Maersk Interceptor drilling rig in production license 442…

Anadarko spuds Warrior in GoM

Sep 02, 2016

Anadarko Petroleum spudded the Warrior well in deepwater Gulf of Mexico, according to partner Ecopetrol. Warrior is in Green Canyon Block 563, near two major production fields: the western border of Anadarko’s K2 block and on the eastern border of BHP Billiton’s Shenzi field…

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