Mediterranean Oil & Gas has increased its holdings offshore Malta after acquiring a 40% working interest in the Area 3 Exploration Study Agreement (ESA). The agreement covers blocks Blocks 1, 2 and 3 and is in partnership with Cairn Energy subsidiary Capricorn Malta…
Newly formed subsea business OneSubsea has picked up a major contract with Chevron on its deepwater west of Shetland Rosebank development. OneSubsea, a joint venture between Schlumberger and Cameron, is to provide the subsea equipment on the 240MM boe recoverable Rosebank development…
Tritech has been awarded a contract for its real-time riser and mooring line monitoring system RAMS. Following a competitive and detailed bidding process, the firm's system was selected by Single Buoy Moorings (SBM), designer and supplier of turret mooring systems (TMS)…
Software solutions firm Petrotechnics has appointed David Bleackely as VP of sales. Bleackely joins Petrotechnics from Aspentech, where he was most recently senior sales director of global accounts. He was responsible for managing…
Oil & Gas UK chief executive, Malcolm Webb, has officially opened the new Aberdeen offices of oil and gas consultancy Magma Products. Magma, which provides specialist offshore commissioning and start-up services, has grown from a business…
First production from the southern North Sea Orca field is due to start late 2013 following the installation of a new platform at the field. The 1240-tonne D18a-A platform, to be normally unmanned, was installed using the installation…
A partner on the 44/23-1 Dunquin North exploration well being drilled by ExxonMobil offshore Ireland says the reservoir is water bearing. Providence Resources, which holds a 16% interest in frontier exploration license 3/04, containing Dunquin…
Statoil used the world’s second largest crane vessel, Saipem 7000, to lift and transport the 10,600-ton topsides module from Aibel’s shipyard in Haugesund, Norway on Wednesday, 17 July. Transit to the Gudrun field, in license area PL025 of the Norwegian North Sea…
Mike Earlam joined Aberdeen-based Offshore Installation Services (OIS), an Aceton company, as president in April. OIS specializes in providing support for construction, maintenance, installation and decommissioning projects. As leader of OIS…
BP’s Quad 204 redevelopment will be one of the largest subsea developments in the UKCS. Quad 204 is one of the world’s biggest subsea redevelopment projects, and one of the most complex engineering challenges BP and its project partners have ever undertaken…
A high level of fabrication activity in and around the North Sea is attracting new players. Elaine Maslin reports. Platform fabrication for new installations in North Sea will reach fever pitch this year as a historically high number of facilities are completed for load out…
Firewater pumps are crucial to the safe operation of platforms. Caissons protect the pumps from the harsh offshore environment and provide the transport route for firewater. Degradation of the caisson can render pumps ineffective; so it is…
Caisson inspection can be crucial for long term integrity, especially of firewater systems. Graham Marshall, subsea project manager, Sonomatic The deterioration and failure of caissons, and associated supports, is a core industry concern for several reasons…
Lundin Petroleum AB commenced drilling of exploration well 7120/1-3 in PL492 in the Barents Sea. The well will target the Gohta prospect, which is located 150km northwest of the Norwegian coast, approximately 185km northwest of Hammerfest…
Industry and government bodies think there is still a strong future in the UK North Sea, but they are not complacent about the challenges the basin faces. After more than 40 years of production from the North Sea, with declining output…