Statoil has agreed to buy stakes in production license 602, close to the Aasta Hansteen development project, in the Norwegian Sea from Norwegian exploration firm Rocksource and Faroese explorer Atlantic Petroleum. Statoil will take Rocksource’s 10% stake in PL602 and 2…
According to the United States Geological Survey, the area above the Arctic Circle holds approximately 90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and an estimated 1,670 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of technically recoverable natural gas…
Noble Energy is suspending any further investments in the expansion of Tamar, and initial development of Leviathan until regulatory issues are resolved with Israel. Image of the Tamar field. From Delek…
The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway is investigating a man-overboard incident from the Scarabeo 8 ultra deepwater semisubmersible on the Eni-operated Goliat field in the Barents Sea. Image from Saipem…
FEI introduced its new HeliScan microCT advanced imaging system during the grand opening of its Digital Rock Lab in Houston. Raw tomogram image (no post processing) of Austin Chalk formation highlighting 1…
Petronas' bid to farm in to a Celtic Sea block offshore south east Ireland has been approaved by the Irish Government - the firm is now firming-up drilling plans. Through its 100%-owned subsidiary Kinsale Energy, the Malaysian firm will…
Atlantic margin focussed exploration firm Chariot Oil & Gas has, with partners AziNam (20%), NAMCOR (10%) and Ignitus (5%), started a 2D seismic acquisition survey over about 1700km in the Central Blocks 2312 & 2412A offshore Namibia. SeaBird Exploration will carry out the survey…
Centrica has cut its exploration and budget 40% saying that it thinks oil prices will remain low for the rest of 2015 and potentially also into 2016 and 2017. The comments, made by the firm's CEO Iain Conn, echo BP CEO Bob Dudley's…
Lime Petroleum Norway is to acquire an additional 20% in production licenses (PL) 591, 591B and 591C in the Norwegian Sea from Tullow Oil, increasing its holding in each to 25%. The licenses are operated by Tullow and an exploration well…
MEO Australia is eying drilling on its Beehive oil prospect after an international exploration company executed an option which will allow it to farm-in to any of MEO Australia's WA-488-P, AC/P50 and AC/P51 permits off northwestern Australia…
Mexican state oil company, Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) is being forced to decrease its budget by US$4 billion, representing an 11.5% decrease from last year, in order to maintain financial balance due to falling oil prices. Image of Lozoya…
Sterling Energy's Cameroon subsidiary has agreed a deal which will see it take over Murphy Cameroon Ntem Oil Co.'s 50% stake in the Ntem Concession, offshore Cameroon. The move will mean Sterling now has 100% interest in the Ntem Concession…
Lundin Petroleum began drilling the 16/1-24 exploration well at the Gemini prospect, just southwest of the Edvard Grieg field. The Island Innovator, from Island Drilling. The well is located in Block 16/1…
BG Group has completed drilling two wells in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea classified as dry by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD). The 34/3-4 S and 34/3-4 A wells were drilled on production license 373 S, about 5km east of the Knarr field in the northern part of the North Sea…
The PetroRio acquisition of Shell’s 80% stake in the Bijupirá and Salema fields, and the Fluminense FPSO cost the company US$150 million. PetroRio acquiring the Fluminense FPSO in Shell deal. Image from Modec…