Exploration News


Record interest in Irish offshore

Sep 21, 2015

The largest number of applications in an Irish offshore licensing round have been submitted in the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round.  Some 43 applications for licensing options, from majors and independents, were submitted by the Friday 16 September deadline…

Karoon's Kangaroo falls

Sep 18, 2015

Karoon Gas Australia is revising its previous estimates of the Kangaroo field in the Santos basin offshore Brazil that decreases its 2C resources by nearly 39%. The Australian company is also estimating its Echidna’s light oil gross contingent 2C resource volume to be of 75 MMbbl…

WoodMac: Mexico's Round One is internationally competitive

Sep 17, 2015

On 14 September, Mexico's Finance Ministry announced the minimum acceptable bids for the shallow water development opportunities phase of Round One. Image of Round One. From CNH. Wood…

Hansa, GDF Suez in Dutch North Sea deal

Sep 17, 2015

Hansa Hydrocarbons Ltd. completed a farm-out with GDF SUEZ E&P Nederland B.V. (part of the ENGIE Group) in respect of a 30% interest in its 4Quads licenses (blocks G18, H16, M3 and N1) in the Dutch North Sea. Pursuant to this transaction Hansa and GDF SUEZ E&P Nederland B…

VNG Norge hits pay on Boomerang

Sep 17, 2015

VNG Norge has made an oil discovery in the main bore of the Boomerang exploration well offshore Norway. Well 6406/12-4S on Boomerang was drilled close to the Pil discovery and encountered a 26m gross Upper Jurassic intra-Spekk/Rogn sandstones with good reservoir properties and moveable oil…

Cairn's Senegal 3D seismic starts

Sep 17, 2015

Cairn Energy has started a new 3D seismic survey over the Sangomar Deep, Sangomar and Rufisque permits, offshore Senegal. The Polarcus Adira 3D seismic vessel is acquiring data in the north and east parts of the permits along trend from…

Mexico’s Round One minimums released

Sep 16, 2015

Mexico’s Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (SHCP) released the minimum fiscal terms that must be met by companies in order to win development rights in the second phase of Round One, scheduled for the end of September. Image…

Tower grabs offshore Cameroon acreage

Sep 16, 2015

Africa-focused explorer Tower Resources says the down turn will offer it an opportunity to leverage lower seismic acquisition and drilling costs after is signed the shallow water Thali Production Sharing Contract (PSC), offshore Cameroon…

API: Safe offshore energy development continues

Sep 14, 2015

Ahead of tomorrow's (15 September) congressional hearing in New Orleans, API highlighted the importance of offshore oil and natural gas development to the region's economic development. Image from EMGS…

Quadrant to drill Roc-1 off WA

Sep 14, 2015

Quadrant Energy will spud the Roc-1 well located in the North West Shelf off Western Australia using the Tom Prosser jackup rig. The rig will drill a well for Vermillion Energy at the Wandoo oil field in the northwest of Dampier before commencing Roc-1 drilling operations…

BOEM to offer 40 million acres in GoM lease sales

Sep 11, 2015

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will offer 40 million acres for exploration in the proposed Gulf of Mexico Central planning area Lease Sale 241 and Eastern planning area Lease Sale 226 to take place in March 2016. Image…

Lundin gets exploration drilling permit

Sep 11, 2015

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Lundin Norway a drilling permit for well 7220/11-3 A, in production license 609. Well 7220/11-3 S will be drilled from the Island Innovator drilling facility. The drilling program…

Brazil’s 13th round gains more approvals

Sep 11, 2015

Brazil’s National Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels agency (ANP) has approved registrations for a total of 37 companies for the country’s 13th bid round, of which 22 are from outside of Brazil. Image from ANP's Facebook…

Shell’s Portrush comes up dry

Sep 11, 2015

Shell’s Portrush prospect in the Norwegian Sea encountered no hydrocarbons and will be permanently plugged and abandoned, according to partner Faroe Petroleum. Image of the Transocean Barents. From Transocean…

43 applicants vie for APA 2015

Sep 09, 2015

Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Ministry (NPD) received applications from 43 companies for it latest Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2015 Norwegian continental shelf licensing round. Image from Chevron…

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