Exploration News


Petronas takes over Celtic Sea block

Feb 20, 2015

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…

Chariot starts Namibia 2D shoot

Feb 20, 2015

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…

Low oil prices could persist into 2017

Feb 19, 2015

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 ups stakes on Zumba

Feb 18, 2015

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 eyes Beehive drilling

Feb 18, 2015

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…

PEMEX slashes budget by 11.5%

Feb 17, 2015

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 takes control of Ntem concession

Feb 17, 2015

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 spuds at Gemini

Feb 16, 2015

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…

Dry wells for BG near Knarr

Feb 16, 2015

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…

PetroRio discloses Shell price tag

Feb 13, 2015

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…

Minor oil discovery at Romeo

Feb 13, 2015

Statoil Petroleum has made a minor oil discovery at the Romeo prospect in production license 146 in the southern part of the Norwegian North Sea. The Romeo well 2/4-22 S was drilled about 20km north of the Ekofisk field and 2.3km northeast of the 2/4-21 discovery…

Karoon hopping with Kangaroo-2

Feb 11, 2015

Karoon Gas Australia’s Kangaroo-2 confirmed more pay at the second sidetrack well in the shallow offshore waters of Brazil. Map of the Santos basin. From Karoon.   Kangaroo-2 is located in exploration Block S-M-1165 in the Santos basin…

CNOOC, SK enter China PSCs

Feb 10, 2015

China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC), signed two production sharing contracts (PSCs) with SK Innovation Co., Ltd. (SK) for Blocks 04/20 and 17/03 in the South China Sea. The two blocks are located in the Pearl River Mouth basin. Block…

Sterling farms-in to Mauritania

Feb 10, 2015

Sterling Energy has agreed to acquire a 40.5% stake in the shallow water Block C-3 production sharing contract offshore Mauritania from Tullow Oil 's Mauritanian subsidiary. Tullow currently holds a 90% stake in the license with Société…

Dana discovers Danish oil

Feb 10, 2015

Dana Petroleum has discovered light sweet crude in the Lille John-2 appraisal well and side-track on the Lille John oil field in license 12/06 in the Danish North Sea. The Lille John-2 (LJ-2) appraisal well and side-track confirmed the presence of sweet…

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