Schlumberger announced the launch of the PowerDrive Orbit rotary steerable system (RSS). The new RSS expands the operating envelope of rotary steerable technology by extending system life, delivering precise directional control, and increasing drilling efficiency…
Colombia’s offshore is not as widely explored as its conventional onshore space. The country, which has many resources including coal bed methane and even shale, is making a bigger push for offshore exploration. Colombia’s Vice Minister of Energy for the Ministry of Mines and Energy…
Statoil and co-venturer ExxonMobil have carried out a successful first drill stem test on their Tanzania Block 2 offshore discovery Zafarani-2. The data acquired will help reduce technical uncertainties in a possible future Tanzania offshore and LNG development…
Det norske oljeselskap is to plug and abandon its exploration well on the Langlitinden prospect after getting disappointing results. The well was the first well in Barents Sea production license 659. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) said the well…
Automation in Drilling FIG 1: Typical remote communications network and components. Most of the general public is unaware that there is an automation revolution happening in the exploration and drilling segment of the Oil & Gas Industry…
Denmark’s Maersk Drilling has posted a 52% jump in profits for 2013, at US$528 million, but warned that there will be challenges in 2014 as it sees a drop in deepwater demand and a major overhaul of its fleet. Claus V. Hemmingsen…
Houston-based Cobalt International Energy, Inc. confirmed the existence of light oil and condensate at its Orca (formerly Baleia) deepwater pre-salt exploratory well offshore Angola. The Orca No.1 well, located in block 20 at a water depth of 1880m…
Sembcorp Marine subsidiary Jurong Shipyard has signed two contracts, worth US$540 million each, to build two drillships for a subsidiary of Transocean Ltd (Transocean). The contracts include options for three additional units for the same company…
An inside look at drilling with Maersk's jackup, Inspirer.
Stone Energy Corp. hit oil at its deepwater Cardona (MC 29 #4) well at Mississippi Canyon 29 in the US Gulf of Mexico, the company announced on 24 Feb 2014. Drilling operations are underway using the ENSCO 8502 drilling rig, which Stone Energy contracted last April…
The third phase of the Na Kika field in the Gulf of Mexico recently entered production, BP announced. Phase 3 production started on 19 Feb 2014, with a second well expected to come online 2Q 2014. Sitting in around 6300ft of water…
Statoil Petroleum AS, operator of production license 628, is in the process of concluding the drilling of wildcat well 25/9-4. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said the well was dry. The well was drilled about 25km from the Jotun field in the central part of the North Sea…
The TOTAL E&P Norge operated exploration well 25/5-9 on the Trell prospect in production license 102 F/G in the Norwegian North Sea has discovered oil in the Paleocene Heimdal Formation. The well intersected 19m of net pay in excellent quality Heimdal reservoir…
Australia’s AWE reported that the Pateke-4H development well was at a measured depth of 1507m. A 13 3/8-in casing was ran to the planned depth of 1504m. Preparations are being made to cement the casing and prepare for the installation of the subsea wellhead…
UK-based explorer Ophir Energy has started drilling operations on the Padouck Deep-1 well on the Ntsina Block, offshore Gabon, using the Vantage Titanium Explorer drillship. Padouck Deep-1 is the first well targeting the pre-salt play offshore in the North Gabon basin…
