Exploration News


3D seismic starts on Spanish Point South

Aug 14, 2014

3D seismic surveying operations have commenced on Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 1/14 (Spanish Point South) in the northern Porcupine Basin, offshore Ireland. The license, operated by Cairn Energy subsidiary Capricon Ireland, is in 300-650m water depth…

Fastnet agrees terms with Petrobras

Aug 14, 2014

UK independent Fastnet Oil and Gas agreed an amended exclusive option agreement with Petrobras subsidiary PSE Kinsale Energy in relation to the Deep Kinsale prospect, offshore Ireland. The Deep Kinsale prospect extends from 4000ft subsea…

Repsol clear to drill off Canary Islands

Aug 13, 2014

Spain's Repsol could start drilling offshore the Canary Islands this year after the Spanish government gave the firm the go-ahead. The government's Industry Ministry approved drilling plans by Repsol in a resolution dated 11 August and published today (13 August) in the Official Bulletin…

Founders leave Trapoil to maintain value

Aug 12, 2014

Junior North Sea-focused exploration firm Trapoil is to shed more of its senior staff, including its co-founders, in a bid to maintain the value of its assets. The firm, currently has a mix of carried and paying interests in 11 licenses…

Lundin takes North Sea stakes

Aug 12, 2014

Lundin Norway has agreed to acquire a 35% interest in production licenses 674 in the North Sea. The deal comprises acquiring 15% interest from Petrolia Norway and a 20% interest of a carve out area of PL674 from operator E.ON. Petrolia and E…

Kara Sea spudded despite sanctions

Aug 11, 2014

ExxonMobil began exploratory drilling operations in the Kara Sea’s Universitetskaya structure in the East Prinovozemelskiy area on 9 August, defying Western-imposed sanctions against Russian state-owned Rosneft. Drilling on the Universitetskaya-1 well…

KrisEnergy buys Chevron's Cambodia business

Aug 11, 2014

Singapore-based KrisEnergy entered an agreement to acquire Chevron Overseas Petroleum (Cambodia) Ltd. for US$65 million. Chevron's Cambodia unit holds a 30% participating interest in and operatorship of offshore asset, Cambodia block A. Block A…

Woodside, Noble and Marathon enter deepwater Gabon

Aug 11, 2014

Noble Energy and Australia’s Woodside Petroleum signed a production sharing contract (PSC) with the Government of Gabon covering block F15 in the Gabon Coastal basin, West Africa.  Additionally, Marathon Oil Corp. signed an exploration…

KrisEnergy spuds Mancharee-1 well

Aug 08, 2014

Singapore-based KrisEnergy Ltd. announced Seadrill Ltd.’s West Cressida jackup rig spud the Mancharee-1 exploration commitment well in block G10/48 in the Wassana oil field, in the Gulf of Thailand. Seadrill's…

Statoil, Schlumberger enter NCS agreement

Aug 08, 2014

Statoil awarded Schlumberger Norway a contract to provide integrated drilling services and exploration drilling on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). Licenses are for Gullfaks, Gullfaks Satellites, Snorre, Statfjord, Tordis/Vigdis…

SOCO well spud offshore Congo

Aug 07, 2014

SOCO International announced the Lidongo X Marine-101 (LXM-101) exploration well spud in the Marine XI Block, located in the Congo Basin, offshore the Republic of Congo. The LXM-101 well is located 23km north west of Pointe Noire in a…

Barents will take time and Stamina - Statoil

Aug 07, 2014

Statoil has said its three-well exploration campaign in the Hoop area of the Barents Sea has failed to make a commercial discovery after completing its final wildcat well on the Mercury prospect.  Well 7324/9-1 on the Mercury prospect was in license 614 in the Barents Sea offshore Norway…

Liberia offers offshore blocks

Aug 07, 2014

The Liberian Government and the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) have launched its latest Liberia Basin Bid Round.  The round opened 5 August for three months to 31 October 2014.  It comprises four undrilled offshore petroleum exploration blocks -  LB-6…

Oman offers offshore blocks

Aug 06, 2014

Oman's Ministry of Oil & Gas (MOG) has announced an oil and exploration bid round which includes two blocks offshore. The two offshore blocks 18, 59 are being opened to bidders alongside onshore blocks 43A, 54, 58.  Block 18 is in…

North Sea optimism falls

Aug 06, 2014

Oil & Gas UK's Q2 2014 Business Sentiment Index has revealed that industry optimism has fallen for the fifth consecutive quarter, but remains positive, just, at two points above zero on the -50 to +50 index. The industry body described…

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