Eco Atlantic Oil & Gasand Tullow Oil subsidiary companies entered into a 10-year agreement with the government of Guyana to explore the deepwater Orinduik block, offshore Guyana, South America. Map of the Orinduik block…
Norway's latest awards in predefined areas (APA) license round has been hailed a success with some 56 exploration licenses being offered on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The APA rounds offer acreage in known areas on the shelf, rather than frontier acreage…
Over the weekend, the six world powers (P5+1), European Union (EU), and Iran reached an agreement that lifted sanctions on Iran’s oil production that will see Western nations enter Iran for oil exploration and production for the first time in more than a decade…
Ophir Energy, as operator, has dropped its stake in exploration licenses covering three blocks offshore the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean east of South Africa. The UK-based explorer had farmed in to the blocks – 5B/1, 5B2 and 5B3 – with Australia’s WHL Energy…
Despite high drilling rates on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, discovery rates have been low and investment fell 16% in 2015, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD). Fifty-six exploration wells were spudded, with just…
Malaysia's Mitra Energy gained approval from the Prime Minister of Vietnam of the Reserve Assessment Reports for the Nam Du (Block 46/07 PSC) and U Minh (Block 51 PSC) fields, off Vietnam. Image from Mitra Energy…
Ophir Energy has appointed Dr John Bell to the position of director – Asia and Dr Oliver Quinn to the position of director – Africa and Global New Ventures. Both Bell and Quinn start their new roles with immediate effect, reporting directly to COO Dr Bill Higgs…
German explorer Wintershall has started drilling on the Kvalross exploration well 7224/2-1 in license PL611, in the Norwegian Barents Sea. Kvalross is to the south of OMV’s significant Wisting and Hanssen oil discoveries. The well…
Lundin Petroleum subsidiary Lundin Malaysia has completed the Imbok-1 exploration well offshore East Malaysia. The well, located in Block SB307/308 encountered minor oil shows and was plugged and abandoned. The well was targeting hydrocarbons in Miocene aged sands…
Norway, Cyrpus based rig operator Songa Offshore suffered a BOP equipment failure on one of its new Cat D semisubmersible drilling rigs as it was readying to start operations for Statoil. The Songa Endurance started drilling operations…
Premier Oil has confirmed its Isobel Deep oil discovery offshore the Falklands, as well as an additional discovery in the same well. The well, which was a re-drill of the 14/20-1 Isobel Deep well, hit 27m of net pay, with no oil water contact or gas…
A year on since the oil price collapse and the effects are making themselves felt across Northwest Europe, particularly in the UK and Norwegian sectors. The count of exploration and appraisal well spuds in the UK is an all-time low…
Lundin Petroleum has started drilling the Bambazon exploration well in Block SB307/SB308, offshore East Malaysia. The Bambazon prospect is in shallow water and lies to the north of a major producing field in offshore East Malaysia. The well will target hydrocarbons in Miocene aged sands…
Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies has been awarded a 3-year contract by Wintershall for provision of its hosted SiteCom real-time data aggregation and visualization solution for well construction. All real-time, planned and historical…
Restrictions on offshore exploration in Italian waters have been reintroduced, according to UK-based explorer Rockhopper Exploration. The firm says the Italian Parliament has approved its 2016 Budget Law, which reintroduces restrictions…