Exploration News


ION 2D to assess offshore Somalia

Jan 12, 2015

ION Geophysical and Somalia’s Puntland Petroleum and Minerals Agency (PPMA) entered into an agreement to complete a multi-client 2D regional seismic survey offshore Puntland, Somalia. Image from ION Geophysical…

Rig cancelation could cost Camac US$50 million

Jan 12, 2015

Northern Offshore International Drilling Co. is in the midst of filing a US$50 million claim against Camac Energy for canceling the Energy Searcher drilling contract earlier this month. The Energy Searcher…

Petrobras in light Muriú discovery

Jan 09, 2015

Petrobras encountered a light oil and gas discovery in the Sergipe basin, offshore Brazil. Map from Petrobras.   The ultra deepwater discovery was made at the 9-SES-188D/9-BRSA-1280D-SES  well…

EIA: Presalt oil and natural gas provide an increasing share of Brazil’s production

Jan 09, 2015

In 2013, Brazil produced 2MMb/d of crude oil and nearly 1Tcf of gross natural gas. Within these figures, the share of production from presalt resources found under thick layers of salt thousands of feet below the ocean's surface remains small but continues to increase…

Keppel delivers Pemex jackup

Jan 09, 2015

Mexican national oil company, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) took delivery of its first of two KFELS B Class jackup rigs from Singapore’s Keppel FELS. The Yunuen jackup. From Keppel.   The…

Lundin gets green for Gemini

Jan 08, 2015

Lundin Norway received consent from the Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway (PSA) for exploration drilling at the Gemini prospect in the Central North Sea. The Island Innovator. From Island Drilling…

Seplat confirms Afren approach

Jan 08, 2015

Nigeria-based Seplat Petroleum Development confirmed Afren’s “highly preliminary approach” regarding a possible merger of the two companies made on 22 December. Image from Afren.   In a statement released by Seplat…

Trapoil gives up licenses

Jan 08, 2015

UK independent explorer Trapoil has been forced to give up a string of licenses in the North Sea after failling to find farm-in partners to help fund work. The firm, which last year cuts its staff and saw its founders leave, 'to maintain value…

Lundin's 2015 budget falls 31%

Jan 07, 2015

Lundin Petroleum has announced a US$1.45 billion 2015 development, appraisal and exploration budget - representing a 31% drop compared to its forecast 2014 spending. Spending on development projects will drop about 30%, to $980 million…

Petrobras adds to Espirito finds

Jan 07, 2015

Petrobras has made new oil discoveries in the Espirito Santo Basin, offshore Brazil, according to exploration partner Inpex.  The discoveries, in the BM-ES-23 concession, 115km off the coast of the State of Espirito Santo, southeastern Brazil…

Maersk spuds Tvillingen South probe

Jan 07, 2015

Exploration drilling has started on the Tvillingen South prospect in production license 510 in the Norwegian Sea. The prospect is located on the Haltenbanken in the Norwegian Sea, approximately 28 km southeast of the Kristin field. The well…

Cluff signs up consultant for UCG project

Jan 07, 2015

Underground coal gasificatoin (UCG) focused firm Cluff Natural Resources (CLNR) has taken on an environmental and planning consultant for its proposed Kindcardine project in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. Environmental Resources Management…

GlobalData: UK oil tax changes fail to improve investment climate

Jan 06, 2015

While positive measures have been taken to attract investment in the UK’s exploration and production (E&P) sector, low oil prices and the country’s high tax burden mean that more significant changes are required to make new developments commercially viable…

Dry hole on Kopervik for Lundin

Jan 06, 2015

Lundin Petroleum's exploration well 25/10-12S on the Kopervik prospect is being plugged and abandoned as a dry hole.  The well was drilled in production license 625, 175km west of Haugesund on the Norwegian west coast and about 20km northwest of the Johan Sverdrup discovery…

Karoon flows Kangaroo-2 off Brazil

Jan 06, 2015

Production testing on Karoon Gas Australia's Kangaroo-2 appraisal well offshore Brazil saw flow rates reach 3700 stb/d on a choke, says the firm.  The Kangaroo-2 appraisal well, in exploration Block S-M-1165, in the Santos Basin, confirmed…

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