Drilling News


'Pioneering' Deep Sea Mineral Exploration Mission Complete Off Norway

Oct 09, 2020

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has completed its five-week seabed mineral research expedition on the Mohn Ridge in the northwestern Norwegian Sea, in cooperation with TIOS and using Island Offshore's Island Valliant vessel. The NPD…

Lukoil Launches Phase Two at Caspian Sea Oil Field

Oct 09, 2020

Russian oil company Lukoil has launched the second phase of the development drilling campaign at the Vladimir Filanovsky field in the Caspian Sea.The drilling at the Offshore Ice-Resistant Fixed Complex 2 (OIRFC 2) at the large Caspian Sea oil…

Guyana: Noble Corp. Drillship to Stay with ExxonMobil Until Aug. 2030

Oct 09, 2020

Offshore drilling company Noble Corporation said Thursday it had secured more rig work for its Noble Tom Madden drillship with ExxonMobil in Guyana that should see the rig employed until August 2030.Under the 'commercial enabling agreement' signed between the two companies back in February…

Norway: Neptune Energy Increases Stake in Large Offshore Discovery

Oct 08, 2020

Oil and gas company Neptune Energy is increasing its stake in an offshore license in Norway which contains the Dugong oil discovery, dubbed Norway's largest oil find so far this year. The company hopes to submit the field development plan in 2022…

Wellesley Uses On-the-rig Simulator to Cut Drilling Risks

Oct 07, 2020

Oil and gas company Wellesley Petroleum earlier this year deployed a mobile ‘On-the-Rig’ (OTR) drilling simulator, to make its drilling crew ready for a drilling project offshore Norway and minimise the risks.The simulator, designed and manufactured by company Drilling Systems…

West Bollsta Rig Set to Spud First Well for Lundin Energy

Oct 06, 2020

The West Bollsta semi-submersible drilling rig, managed by Seadrill, is currently in the Barents Sea, being towed to an offshore drilling location where it will drill its first well, the rig's AIS data shows. The drilling rig is on hire with the Swedish company Lundin Energy…

Deme in Clean Hydrogen Alliance

Oct 06, 2020

Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Deme said Tuesday it had joined the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance. The alliance supports the EU’s ambitious hydrogen and decarbonization strategy.'With this membership Deme underlines its commitment to using its expertise for the production…

Equinor to Hire Deepsea Aberdeen Rig for Breidablikk Drilling

Oct 05, 2020

Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor plans to use Odfjell Drilling's Deepsea Aberdeen semi-submersible drilling rig to drill at its Breidablikk project in the North Sea offshore Norway.The Breidablikk field, for which the plan for development and operation was submitted last month…

Turkish Drillship Returns to Turkey After Operating Off Cyprus

Oct 05, 2020

The Turkish drillship Yavuz has left the area where it was operating southwest of Cyprus and reached the Turkish coast, Refinitiv Eikon shipping data showed on Monday, in a move that may help ease tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.Cyprus'…

Icon Offshore Strikes Deal to Buy Perisai Pacific 101 Jack-Up Rig

Oct 02, 2020

Bursa Malaysia-listed offshore vessel provider Icon Offshore has struck a deal to buy the Perisai Pacific 101 jack-up drilling rig.The 2014-built rig, owned by a subsidiary of  Perisai Petroleum Teknologi Bhd (PPTB), is an asset mortgaged to Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC)…

Dana Petroleum Taps Maersk Drilling for Dutch North Sea Project

Oct 01, 2020

Danish offshore drilling rig company Maersk Drilling has signed a drilling contract with Dana Petroleum in the Netherlands, to provide a jack-up rig for the drilling at a project in the Dutch North Sea, and has agreed to delay a project in Denmark…

Seadrill Replaces CEO

Oct 01, 2020

Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill has replaced CEO Anton Dibowitz. Seadrill's CFO Stuart Jackson will take Dibowitz's place, with immediate effect.Seadrill, which this week got more time from creditors to come up with a $7.3 billion debt restructuring solution…

Mermaid Completes Exit from Asia Offshore Drilling

Sep 29, 2020

Thai offshore service provider Mermaid Maritime has completed the previously proposed exit from Asia Offshore Drilling, a joint venture firm with drilling contractor Seadrill.Earlier this month, Mermaid said it would exercise its put option and sell its 33…

Wintershall Noordzee Wraps Sillimanite Drilling. Calls for Dutch Gov't to Boost E&P Sector

Sep 28, 2020

Wintershall Noordzee has completed the drilling of a well at the Sillimanite South field discovery in the Dutch North Sea, and converted it into a development sidetrack.It was the third well drilled in sequence after the two Sillimanite Unit…

Brazil: Total Transfers Foz do Amazonas Block to Petrobras

Sep 28, 2020

French oil major Total will transfer its rights in five blocks in Foz do Amazonas Basin off Brazil to Brazil's national oil company Petrobras, and exit the basin.To remind, Total earlier in September announced its decision o give up operatorship over the five exploration blocks in ultra-deep waters…

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