Drilling News


Watch: Giant Offshore Rig Passing Under Bosphorus Bridges

Apr 16, 2020

Italian oilfield services company Saipem has shared a video of one of its offshore drilling rigs passing the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey, earlier this week.The Scarabeo 9, Saipem's semi-submersible drilling rig, on Monday crossed the Bosporus Strait for the fourth time in its history…

Brazilian Offshore Drilling Firm Launches Start-Up Challenge

Apr 15, 2020

Brazilian offshore drilling services provider Ocyan has launched Ocyan Waves program, where start-ups can register and provide their solutions for Ocyan's internal challenges.Startups should seek innovative solutions to the challenges selected…

Qatar Starts 80-well Offshore Drilling Campaign at NFE Project

Apr 15, 2020

Qatar Petroleum has kicked off the development drilling campaign for the offshore North Field East project, or NFE previously known as the North Field Expansion Project.The first of 80 North Field East development wells was spudded on March 29…

New Offshore Acreage Licensing to Drop 60% in 2020, Rystad says

Apr 15, 2020

Newly licensed offshore oil and gas exploration acreage is likely to fall by about 60% and onshore acreage by 30% compared with 2019 levels, Rystad Energy has said, as the Norwegian energy market analytics company expects more than half of the…

OMV Strikes Oil and Gas Offshore New Zealand

Apr 14, 2020

Austrian energy firm OMV has said it has struck oil and gas in the Taranaki Basin offshore New Zealand.  OMV, as the operator of the Petroleum Exploration Permit (PEP) 60093, started drilling at the Toutoiwai-1 well in early March 2020.The oil…

Offshore Oil Trio in NYSE Listing Warning

Apr 13, 2020

Offshore oil and gas contractors Seadrill, Pacific Drilling, and Hermitage Offshore have in the past week received listing warnings from the New York Stock exchange.All three companies have been warned by the New York Stock Exchange (the 'NYSE')…

SWORD Seafloor Rig Set for Sea Trials

Apr 13, 2020

Royal IHC, a Dutch marine equipment and vessel provider, has said that extensive tests have been completed on a new seabed geotechnical drill designed for offshore wind and oil and gas markets, and the rig will now go on seatrials before hitting the market…

Noble Corp. Withdraws Guidance as Offshore Drilling Outlook Turns Bleak

Apr 10, 2020

Offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation has backtracked on its 2020 guidance announced in February, citing the recent sharp decline of oil price due to the oil oversupply and drop in demand caused by COVID-19, as the reason.Noble Corp…

Turkish Drillship Gearing Up for Black Sea Drilling

Apr 10, 2020

Turkish national oil company TPAO's drillship Fatih is being prepared to move to the Black Sea to start drilling operations.The news was shared on social media both by TPAO and the country's energy minister Fatih DonmezDonmez on Thursday tweeted…

Offshore Drillers to Lose $3B Due To COVID-19, Low Oil Prices

Apr 09, 2020

Offshore drillings contractors leasing drilling rigs to oil and gas companies are set to lose contracts worth $3 billion in combined revenue in 2020 and 2021, Rystad Energy said Thursday, citing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices…

U.S. Promises Royalty Relief for Offshore Drilling Firms

Apr 09, 2020

The U.S. Interior Department said on Wednesday that one oil company had begun the process of requesting relief from royalty payments on its offshore production as the industry reels from slumping prices.Lawmakers representing U.S. Gulf Coast…

Delays for Offshore Exploration Plans in Norway

Apr 08, 2020

Offshore exploration activity in Norway has been reduced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the low oil prices, while production 'will be maintained for the time being,' the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said Wednesday.The offshore…

Upland Relinquishes Moray Firth License

Apr 08, 2020

London-listed oil company Upland Resources has, with partners, relinquished an offshore license in the UK sector of the North Sea.Upland said Wednesday that it had relinquished Licence P2470 in the Inner Moray Firth. The license included blocks 11/23…

Key Offshore Wildcat Wells At Risk of Being Suspended

Apr 08, 2020

At least nine of the world’s top planned exploration wells for 2020 are at risk of being suspended as a result of the blended impact of COVID-19 on oil and gas activities and the oil price war, Rystad Energy said Tuesday.These wells, the Norwegian energy intelligence firm said…

Petrobras in Natator Oil Discovery off Brazil

Apr 07, 2020

-Brazilian oil company Petrobras has found presence of oil at the Natator exploration well in the Campos Basin, offshore Brazil.Petrobras said Thursday that the well, in the Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde block, was located 130 km from the city of Macaé (RJ)…

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