Russian oil firm Lukoil Overseas has started drilling in deep water off the coast of Sierra Leone. The company is drilling the Savannah prospect on Block SL-5-11, using the semisubmersible Eirik Raude drilling rig, in more than 2000m water depth…
Lundin Petroleum has made an oil discovery on the Ghohta prospect in exploration licence PL492 in the Barents Sea. The well, 7120/1-3, 35km north west of the Snøhvit field, found a 75m oil column beneath a 25m gas/condensate cap in dolomitized and karstified carbonate in a Permian target…
Ensco plc has taken delivery of ENSCO 120, the first in its series of three ultra-premium, harsh-environment jackup rigs. The rig is contracted to work for Nexen in the North Sea beginning in the 4Q 2013 at a day rate of about US$230,000 plus cost adjustments…
Ensco plc has taken delivery of ENSCO DS-7, an advanced-capability, ultra-deepwater drillship. The vessel will embark from the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea to Angola, where it is contracted to Total for three years beginning…
The Macondo well catastrophe occurred more than three years ago, but it continues to serve as a central reference point in any assessment of contemporary offshore drilling, not least at today’s SPE Offshore Europe keynote session, Industry Progress since Macondo…
Centrica Energy, stand 5D50, has completed its longest horizontal well using the Noble Julie Robertson (NJR) jack-up rig on the southern North Sea gas field. Running 19,000feet (6km), the extended reach well was drilled between December…
Atwood Oceanics, Inc. announced that one of its subsidiaries has been awarded a two-year contract extension by CEC International, Ltd. for the jackup Atwood Manta. The extension is priced at a day rate of $159,500 in Thailand and begins December 2…
Latest drilling on the Pweza-2 discovery offshore Tanzania has confirmed resource estimates, according to partner Ophir Energy. Appraisal drilling was completed on Pweza-2 in Block 4, 2km to the south of the Pweza-1 discovery, using the DeepSea Metro 1 drillship…
The group chief finance officer of United Arab Emirates-based rig builder Lamprell is to leave the business. Frank Nelson, who joined Lamprell last year, is to return to the UK for personal reasons, said Lamprell, which is due to announce its half year results tomorrow (August 29)…
Aberdeen-based Dolphin Drilling Ltd has awarded Harland and Wolff the contract for the dry docking of the Blackford Dolphin mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU). The project will include upgrade work and repairs and renewals for its class renewal survey…
Sembcorp Marine has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Saudi Aramco and the National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), one of the largest shipping companies in the world, with the objective of preparing a detailed feasibility…
Trinity Exploration & Production plc, an independent focused on Trinidad and Tobago, issued an update today on its upcoming exploration program. Trinity plans to spud two offshore exploration wells in 4Q 2013, one on the west coast (El…
Estaleiro Enseada do Paraguaçu (EEP) has awarded ALMACO Group a contract for the complete living quarters on six drillships to be used in the Brazilian pre-salt ultra-deep layers drilling program. ALMACO’s scope includes the construction…
Royal Boskalis Westminster subsidiary Dockwise has completed a dry dock project using its new transport vessel Dockwise Vanguard. The project was to assist with the repair and maintenance of a semisubmersible drilling rig in the Mediterranean…
HRT Participações em Petróleo has started drilling the Moosehead-1 exploration well offshore Namibia. The well (2713/16-1) is its the third offshore well in HRT's current exploration campaign. It is targeting the Moosehead prospect…