The Belize government has approved a policy that will legally ban offshore exploration in all seven areas that make up the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage area, according to global heritage organization UNESCO. The decision…
Fluid engineering firm BHR Group has launched a commercially available, open-access downhole test facility, based in Cranfield, UK. The onshore facility is the first of its kind in the UK, providing an easily-accessible, secure, flexible…
Houston-based Marathon Oil's Solomon exploration well in the US Gulf of Mexico has been plugged and abandoned after not encountering its lower tertiary target interval. The well reached its total depth of approximately 34,600ft on Walker Ridge Block 225…
Athens Group’s Daniel Marquez discusses why new 20K control systems require a new approach to specification, acquisition, operation and maintenance procedures. Acquisition, operations, and maintenance…
The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) announced the resignation of Stephen A. Colville as president and chief executive officer and the appointment of Jason E. McFarland as interim president, effective immediately. McFarland is a 20-year veteran of the IADC…
Image: Maersk Venturer/ Maersk Drilling Maersk Drilling has been awarded a contract for the drillship Maersk Venturer with oil major Total. The contract covers one exploration well (estimated duration 120 days) in block 14 offshore Uruguay…
Weatherford International has announced the development of the HeatWave Extreme service for commercial use by Chevron Thailand. The HeatWave Extreme service includes a logging-while-drilling (LWD) tool string capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 410˚F (210˚C)…
Italian explorer Eni has announced it will begin an exploratory drilling campaign at its three fields in the Bay of Campeche offshore Mexico. Eni representatives were in Mexico City on 30 November to sign a new production sharing contract…
Some NOK1 million has been spent on Statoil's Gina Krog development every hour of this year. Statoil has provided a video update on the project's progress. Gina Krog is about 30km northwest of Sleipner. The field, previously called Dagny…
Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Aberdeen has all the bells and whistles for working west of Shetland. Elaine Maslin takes a look. Deepsea Aberdeen working west of Sheltand. Photo from Odfjell Drilling…
Det norske oljeselskap has, on behalf of the partnerships in PL 203 (Alvheim) and PL 150 (Volund), awarded an agreement to Transocean Offshore for the lease of the semi-submersible drilling rig Transocean Arctic. The contract scope for drilling of four wells in the Alvheim area…
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Lundin Norway a drilling permit for well 16/4-10. Well 16/4-10 will be drilled from the Island Innovator drilling facility in position 58°35’03.08’’ north 02°10’21.95’’ east. The…
Over the past 14 months, 44 ultra deepwater floating rigs have been scrapped, amounting to more retirements than over the past 20 years combined. The figures, presented by Seadrill in its third quarter results, serve to underline the continuing tough market conditions for offshore drillers…
Lundin Petroleum Selada-1 exploration well in Block PM308A, offshore Malaysia, has been plugged and abandoned after being found to be dry. The well was targeting hydrocarbons in Miocene aged sands about 14km to the south of the Bertam field operated by Lundin Malaysia…
Carnarvon Petroleum has announced that operator Quadrant Energy has spud the Roc-1 well on 24 November 2015. Drilling is expected to reach 4700m total depth, and take about 35-40 days trouble free. Well logging and sidewall coring is expected to take about 5-10 days on success case…