A slowdown in 2014 drilling will be short-lived, according to Noble Corporation, which posted growing margins thanks to its expanding fleet, with another four units due for delivery by the end of 2014. Noble’s chairman, president and CEO…
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's Alaska region director Mark Fesmire participated in a panel discussion yesterday (April 17) in Washington, D.C. on applying lessons learned for drilling in the Arctic. During the discussion…
Total has made a 'very promising' light oil discovery in 2300m water depth as part of an intensive exploration campaign off Ivory Coast. The Saphir-1XB exploration well, the first exploration well on Block CI-514, is the first discovery in the San Pedro basin…
Total E&P announced today that its Saphir-1XB exploration well on Block CI-514 tested light oil in deep water off Africa's Ivory Coast. “Drilled in an abrupt margin play, this first well is the first discovery in the San Pedro Basin…
Drilling has begun on the FAN-1 exploration well, offshore Senegal, using Transocean's fifth-generation semisubmersible, Cajun Express. The rig arrived on-site Saturday, 12 April, and drilling operations on the FAN-1 well are expected to last approximately two months…
Maersk Drilling’s second drillship, Maersk Valiant, has started its voyage to the US Gulf of Mexico (GOM) today after being delivered from Samsung Heavy Industries' (SHI) shipyard in Geoje-Si, South-Korea. Maersk Valiant (pictured) will…
AWE Ltd. recently announced that preparations are being made to drill a second sidetrack on the Pateke-4H development well, offshore New Zealand. Operations have been unable to drill past an obstruction in the lower portion of the first…
There can be no doubt that the UK North Sea will remain an important region for oil and gas for years to come. Most of its fields are expected to remain economically viable until 2020 at the earliest, and high oil prices have given a boost…
Rig operator Ensco plc has ordered two new jackup drilling rigs from Dubai-based Lamprell, and has options for two additional units, exercisable within six months from the effective date of the contract. The inititial contract is for two high-specification…
The Platform Services division of global drilling and engineering company KCA Deutag agreed on a multi-million dollar contract with ExxonMobil Canada Properties for work on the Hebron heavy oil development project. The contract for drilling…
Marine geophysical company Polarcus completed a 3000sq km 3D sesmic survey in license area EL 0037 in the Walvis basin offshore Namibia for operator Tullow Oil. A second 2D acquisition phase has now started. It will cover approximately 1000km and will take about two weeks to complete…
Statoil and its partners have made a 20-75MM boe gas and oil discovery in the Valemon Nord prospect in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The discovery wells 34/10-54 S and 34/10-54 A, in production license 050, drilled by the semisubmersible drilling rig Transocean Leader…
Wintershall Norge has made a gas and condensate discovery in the Solberg well in the Norwegian Sea. Exploration well 6407/1-7 and the subsequent sidetrack 6407/1-7A, in production license 475, encountered gas and condensate in the main target lower Cretaceous Lange formation…
AGR has been awarded a new well management services contract by OMV (Norge). The contract, which is for three years, with the option of two further years, also covers delivery of other drilling and well engineering services for complete well construction…
GDF SUEZ E&P Norge's wildcat well 7218/8-1 on the Byrkje prospect in the Barents Sea has been classified as dry, with traces of gas. The well, in production licence 607, well was drilled about 65km southwest of the oil and gas discovery…