The southern North Sea Crosgan appraisal well is to be plugged and abandoned after encountering gas bearing sands. The Crosgan appraisal well 42/15b-3 was drilled in the Greater Breagh Area, in Quad 42. The well has reached a total depth…
Lundin Petroleum has made a gas discovery on the Zulu well, close to the giant Johan Sverdrup discovery, offshore Norway. Wildcat well 26/10-1, which is the first well in production license 74BS, hit an estimated 36m gas column in very good reservoir quality Utsira Formation sands…
Petrobras has made a new heavy oil discovery in concession BM-C-35 (exploratory block C-M-535), in the Campos Basin post-salt layer. The discovery was made while drilling well 1-BRSA-1289-RJS (ANP nomenclature) / 1-RJS-737 (Petrobras nomenclature)…
Gas has been found in great quantities offshore East Africa. What will be the challenges around getting it to shore? Alex Hunt takes a look. The East African coastline. Image from the GRID-Arendal Continental Shelf Programme…
Chevron’s subsidiary Chevron Mauritania Exploration acquired a 30% non-operated working interest from Kosmos Energy in three blocks offshore Mauritania, Africa. Map from Kosmos. Blocks C8…
Statoil's newly appointed CEO and president Eldar Sætre says Statoil is 'well prepared' to tackle the large uncertainty facing the oil and gas industry, amid five-year low oil prices. Sætre (pictured), who has been acting CEO and president of Statoil since October…
CNOOC began production at its 100% owned and operated Jinzhou 9-3, offshore China. Image from CNOOC. The Jinzhou 9-3 oilfield is located in the North Liaodong Bay in Bohai in 6.5-10…
Golder Associates’ Ken Been explains the best approach to geotechnical engineering and pipeline construction when facing scours and pits in the Arctic ice. Fig. 1: Ice scouring. Over the coming decades…
Orderbooks reflect reined-in spending based on conservative near-term oil price estimates. ABS’ James Graf sets out the detail. MODU new construction projects through 4Q/14. Source: ABS. Weak demand…
Over supply of oil, diminishing returns and an increasing rig fleet will challenge rig operators in 2015. Rystad Energy’s Joachim Bjørni and Oddmund Føre look for a ray of light. Graphs from Rystad. Throughout 2014…
There can be little doubt – either for us as energy professionals in the sector, or anyone who has picked up a paper over the last few months – that the UK oil and gas industry is facing a serious challenge. Mike Tholen…
Inpex Norge awarded First Geo a contract to provide exploration services on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). A geomodel. From First Geo. Under the contract, First Geo will provide…
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released the draft supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for the US Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico map. From BOEM. The…
Shell has its sights set for Arctic exploration this year by spending US$1 billion, after being absent since 2012. Ben Van Beurden. From Shell. The supermajor announced in its 4Q 2014…
Africa focused small-cap player Azonto Petroleum is continuing its work on the offshore Ivory Coast Gazelle field, despite difficulties in the market. A field development plan, submitted by operator and 87% equity holder Vioco, which is 35% owned by Azonto…