Exploration News


Surveying Mediterranean prospects

Nov 01, 2015

Jerry Lee reports on all the exploration and production activity currently ongoing in the Mediterranean and North Africa. The Maersk Discoverer drilling in Egypt’s East Mediterranean Sea. Photos from BP…

Mediterranean gridlock

Nov 01, 2015

The Mediterranean and North African region is largely considered to be a promising frontier oil and gas area, and yet, border tensions, and internal disputes have seriously held back exploration efforts. Audrey Leon surveys the prospects…

Primeline fails off China

Oct 30, 2015

Primeline Energy’s LS23-1-1 well showed little potential for commercial production, offshore China. The company will now continue with the exploration drilling program for the LS30-3-1. Image from Primeline…

Chevron to slash 6-7000 jobs

Oct 30, 2015

US supermajor Chevron announced in its Q3 results that it expects to make further workforce reductions in the realm of 6000-7000 in an effort to cut costs. The company’s earnings this quarter were better than anticipated, according to analysts Simmons & Co…

ConocoPhillips in deepwater departure

Oct 30, 2015

Houston-based ConocoPhillips has made the strategic decision to drop out of its deepwater exploration program by 2017, despite a significant program that the company is executing in 2016. Ekofisk…

Equatorial Guinea launches 2016 bid round

Oct 29, 2015

Following the success of its 2012 and 2014 bidding rounds, the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy of Equatorial Guinea has announced it will launch a new bidding round for all remaining deep and ultra-deepwater blocks in 2016. Two…

Chevron hits at Anchor appraisal

Oct 29, 2015

Chevron’s appraisal of the Anchor discovery proved successful oil pay in the Lower Tertiary Wilcox Trend, in the US Gulf of Mexico that the company says indicates a significant discovery of potentially hub class scale. Chevron's…

Humback fails to impress

Oct 29, 2015

Noble Energy's Humback exploration well offshore the Falklands has encountered non-commercial quantities of oil and gas, Falkland Oil and Gas confirmed this morning. The 53/02-01 Humpback exploration well, which was running over schedule and budget…

Statoil enters South Africa with ExxonMobil

Oct 29, 2015

Statoil has completed a farm-in transaction with ExxonMobil, acquiring a 35% interest in the ER 12/3/154 Tugela South Exploration Right offshore South Africa. The remaining interests are held by operator ExxonMobil (40%) and co-venturer Impact Africa (25%)…

ExxonMobil leads Mozambique winning pack

Oct 29, 2015

Mozambique is looking forward to some US$691 million spending on exploration after naming successful bidders in its fifth licensing round.   ExxonMobil, with partner Rosneft, has led the pack in bids to win new acreage, including deepwater areas…

Galp gains operatorship off Africa

Oct 27, 2015

Galp Energia entered into an agreement with the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, and Kosmos Energy for the award of Block 6 offshore São Tomé and Príncipe, offshore Africa. Galp Energia will be the operator of the block with 45% interest…

2017 Spanish Point spud planned

Oct 27, 2015

Drilling on the Spanish Point area offshore Ireland is now scheduled for 2017, according to partner Providence Resources, which is now looking to farm-out some of its 58% interest in the license.   Spanish Point, in Frontier License 2/04 and 4/08…

Vietsovpetro JV in Vietnam find

Oct 23, 2015

The joint venture of Zarubezhneft and Petrovietnam Vietsovpetro made a commercial discovery of the Sturgeon field offshore Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Map of Block 09-3/12 (the greyed area)…

CNOOC confirms Caofeidian oil

Oct 22, 2015

China’s CNOOC discovered a mid-sized oilfield at the Caofeidian 6-4 oil structure, offshore China. Bohai map. From CNOOC. The Caofeidian 6-4 structure is located in the western…

Shell gets Shelburne green light

Oct 21, 2015

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) granted Shell Canada the approval to begin its Shelburne Basin Venture Exploration Drilling Project, offshore Nova Scotia. The Stena IceMAX…

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