Vaalco Energy’s North Tchibala 2-H well, the second development well drilled by Vaalco in the North Tchibala field, was brought online, offshore Gabon. The well was stabilized at rate of approximately 500 b/d, gross. The well was drilled to a measured depth of 16…
Germany's Wintershall has made a minor oil discovery on the Syrah exploration well in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The operation, in production license 248, included wild cat well 35/11-18, targeting Middle Jurassic rocks in the Brent group…
Independent Oil and Gas has executed a well management contract with AGR Well Management for the drilling of the North Sea appraisal well on Skipper, which is on track to spud in late January or early February 2016. As part of its payment…
Apache is to increase investment in drilling to 78% of its annual capital spending in 2016-2020, compared to 51% in 2012-2015, a business breakfast was told in Aberdeen this morning. Investment in seismic will double, from 5% of its capital spending to 10%…
KrisEnergy spudded the Mustika-1 exploration well in the East Java Sea, marking the beginning of its operated Satki production sharing contract (PSC). Image from KrisEnergy. Mustika-1…
A total of 26 oil and gas companies applied for rights to explore acreage in the Norwegian and Barents Seas in Norway’s 23rd licensing round this week. This year’s licensing round comprises of 57 announced blocks or parts of blocks, of…
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…
China National Offshore Oil (CNOOC) signed a production sharing contract (PSC) with Husky Oil Operations (China) for Block 15/33 in the South China Sea. Block 15/33 is located in the Pearl River Mouth Basin of the South China Sea. The…
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…
Despite the massive cut backs the industry is facing, including cuts to exploration programs, drill bits continued to spin in 2015. Elaine Maslin reports. Atwood Achiever. Photo from Atwood Oceanics…
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…
Lundin Petroleum has started drilling exploration well 7130/4-1 on the Ørnen (Eagle) prospect. Ørnen is in PL708, on the eastern parts of the Finnmark Platform in the southern Barents Sea. The reservoir is expected to consist of Upper Permian carbonates…
Rockhopper Exploration has agreed a deal to take over fellow Falklands explorer Falkland Oil and Gas (FOGL). The move will make the combined company the largest North Falkland Islands license and discovered resource holder with a material working interest in all key licenses in the area…
BG Group secured 35% stake from Houston-based Noble Energy in Block 12 offshore Cyprus in a US$165 million farm out deal, which gives the UK deepwater and LNG focused company a piece of the Aphrodite natural gas discovery. Map of Cyprus…