Exploration News


Trinidad, BHP, BG sign on two deepwater blocks

Dec 03, 2014

The Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs (MEEA) for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago signed contracts yesterday, awarding two deepwater blocks to the BHP Billiton - BG International consortium. L-R: TT Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine…

UK offers tax reduction, HPHT allowance in Autumn Statement

Dec 03, 2014

For the UK Oil & Gas industry, today’s Autumn Statement by British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, offered the first cut in tax rates for the UK North Sea in 21 years. “There is record investment this year in the North Sea…

Masirah orders 3D seismic off Oman

Dec 03, 2014

Masirah Oil commissioned a new 3D seismic survey of Block 50 offshore Oman to be conducted by Dolphin Geophysical. The Artemis Arctic. From Dolphin Geophysical.   Block 50 is located on the southeast coast of the Sultanate of Oman…

Petrobras in Colombian discovery

Dec 03, 2014

Petrobras encountered hydrocarbons in the Orca-1 exploration well in the Tayrona block offshore Colombia, according to partner Ecopetrol S.A. The drill reached a depth of 4243m.  Image from Ecopetrol…

Rocksource's Ivory disappoints

Dec 02, 2014

Rocksource said it encountered a thick well-developed basin floor fan sand with a gas-accumulation at the top in the Kvitnos target in the PL 528 Ivory exploration well in the Norwegian Sea. In the deeper Lysing target, the well penetrated a poorer than expected water-bearing sand…

The economics of exploration in the UKCS

Dec 02, 2014

Ahead of the autumn statement by British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne on Wednesday, 3 December 2014, Ignacio Fernandez provides an economic analysis of fiscal terms for the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). UKCS exploratory drilling…

Going deep and getting heavy

Dec 01, 2014

The global fleets are growing – not least in order to cater for new deep water challenges. Fred Tholen takes a look. Subsea 7’s new heavy construction vessel, under construction in South Korea…

The future of subsea technology

Dec 01, 2014

Aker Solutions, FMC Technologies, and GE Oil & Gas set out where they see the future of subsea technologies going.  Aker Solutions A vision for the future: advanced subsea production systems. Photo from Aker Solutions…

The mighty Johan Sverdrup

Dec 01, 2014

A new and exciting chapter has opened in the history of the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Meg Chesshyre reports. Fig. 1: Johan Sverdrup phase 1, comprised of four bridge-linked platforms. Image from Statoil…

The next frontier

Dec 01, 2014

OE spoke with experts from CGG and Ion Geophysical to ascertain where the next frontiers of future offshore oil and gas exploration will be located. These areas are certain to blossom over the next five years. Here’s how the experts answered…

Karoon hits at Kangaroo-2

Nov 26, 2014

Australia’s Karoon Gas encountered oil in five separate zones in the Kangaroo-2 appraisal well in the Santos basin, offshore Brazil. Map of the five wells located in the Santos basin. From Karoon.    Kangaroo…

Woodside increases Morocco assets

Nov 26, 2014

Woodside has entered into a contract for an exclusive Reconnaissance License (RL) with the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines, the national oil company of the Kingdom of Morocco, to explore a block offshore Morocco. The block…

Gazprom Neft, PetroVietnam sign Arctic agreement

Nov 25, 2014

Russia's Gazprom Neft and state-owned PetroVietnam have begun exclusive talks to potentially cooperate in the development of the Dolginskoye field, located about 75km off the Russian coast in the Pechora Sea. Gazprom Neft said in a statement…

NOIA: Untapped US potential in eastern GoM

Nov 25, 2014

According to the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA), there is untapped potential of offshore energy located in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) that could greatly benefit the US. That is, if the Eastern GoM were opened to offshore oil and natural gas development…

Spectrum starts Uruguay seismic

Nov 25, 2014

Norway-based seismic acquisition firm Spectrum has started a 3600km multi-client 2D seismic survey offshore Uruguay, South America. The new acquisition program will infill Spectrum’s survey acquired in 2013 and cover open, ultra-deep water acreage in the Oriental del Plata and Pelotas basins…

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