Drilling News


Equinor Gets Clearance for Exploration Ops in Norwegian Sea

Jul 11, 2024

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has granted Equinor a drilling permit for a wildcat well in the Norwegian Sea with Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Atlantic rig.The permit has been issued for wellbore 6610/7-3 in production license 1014, with the entry date set for October 2024…

Wellesley Petroleum Strikes Oil in North Sea

Jul 10, 2024

Oil and gas company Wellesley Petroleum has proven oil and gas in an appraisal well drilled in the North Sea, using COSL Drilling’s COSLPromoter drilling rig.The oil was discovered in the Gnomoria Appraisal (35/10-12 S) well in the North Sea…

MODU Market Shrugs Off Contract Suspensions

Jul 07, 2024

The Middle East Gulf offshore market continues to exhibit strong growth in contract awards, even as it adjusts to the decision by Saudi NOC Aramco to suspend contracts for over 20 jack-up rigs.The Gulf region continues to contribute strongly to contract volumes in 2024…

Esgian Week 27 Report: A Lull in Contracting

Jul 07, 2024

Esgian provides an update on the current lull in contracting in its Week 27 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsAban Offshore-owned 250-ft jackup Aban II has received a letter of award (LOA) from Oil India for an offshore work program in Andhra Pradesh…

Sinopec Strikes Large Oil, Gas Flow at South China Sea Well

Jul 03, 2024

China's Sinopec Corp has struck a high flow of oil and gas in an offshore exploration well in the Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea, it said on Wednesday.The well, Hai-3, a rare slanted well with a drilling depth of 4,600 meters (2.86 miles)…

Trident Energy Ready to Restart Drilling Off Equatorial Guinea

Jul 03, 2024

Oil and gas company Trident Energy has welcomed Noble Corporation’s Noble Venturer drillship for a new drilling campaign offshore Equatorial Guinea, expected to begin shortly.Trident Equatorial Guinea is the operator of Block G in the Ceiba and Okume complex fields offshore Equatorial Guinea…

ADNOC Drilling Secures $733M Order for Three Island Rigs for Zakum Offshore Field Ops

Jul 03, 2024

ADNOC Drilling has secured a contract from ADNOC Offshore, valued $733 million, to build three island drilling rigs in support of the growing operations at the offshore Zakum field.The rigs will be designed and built as part of a partnership between ADNOC Drilling and Honghua Group (HH)…

New State Body Set Up in China for Deep Oil and Gas Reserves Drilling

Jul 01, 2024

China is setting up a new entity that groups national oil producers and other state firms to search for ultra-deep oil and gas reserves and tackle harder-to-extract non-conventional resources, state energy group CNPC said on Monday.This is in…

Esgian Week 26 Report: Drilling Activity is High

Jun 30, 2024

Esgian provides an update on drilling activity in its Week 26 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsVentura Offshore has been granted exclusive marketing rights from Hanwha Drilling LLC for the newbuild 12,000-ft 7th generation drillship…

Aker BP Makes Another Gas Discovery in Barents Sea

Jun 28, 2024

Norwegian oil and gas company Aker BP and its partners have discovered gas in a wildcat well, drilled in the Barents Sea, using Saipem’s Scarabeo 8 semi-submersible drilling rig.The well 7324/8-4 (Hassel) represents the second well drilled in the production license 1170…

China’s CNOOC Starts Production at South China Sea Oil Field

Jun 27, 2024

China’s state-run China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has started production at its Enping 21-4 oilfield development project, located in eastern South China Sea.The field, located at a site with an average water depth of approximately 89 meters…

Northern Ocean’s Deepsea Bollsta Semi-Sub Finds Work Off Namibia

Jun 27, 2024

Oslo-listed offshore drilling rig owner Northern Ocean has secured a contract with a subsidiary of a major oil and gas operator for its Deepsea Bollsta semi-submersible drilling rig, which will be put to work offshore Namibia.The one well contract…

Vår Energi Strikes Oil North of Duva Field Offshore Norway

Jun 27, 2024

Norwegian oil and gas company Vår Energi has made an oil and gas discovery just north of the Duva field in the North Sea, using Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Yantai semi-submersible drilling rig.The discovery was made in well 36/7-5 S Cerisa and sidetracks 36/7-5 A…

Seadrill Completes Jack-ups Sale in Qatar

Jun 25, 2024

Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill on Tuesday announced it has completed the sale of its three rig jack-up fleet in Qatar.The previously disclosed sale sees the company divest the West Castor, West Telesto and West Tucana, as well as its…

Green Light for Equinor to Drill Wildcat Well at Heisenberg Discovery

Jun 24, 2024

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has issued a permit to operator Equinor to drill another exploration well in the Heisenberg Discovery, offshore Norway.The permit has been issued for the 35/10-13 S exploration well in the production license 827 SB…

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