GDF SUEZ E&P Norge's wildcat well 7218/8-1 on the Byrkje prospect in the Barents Sea has been classified as dry, with traces of gas. The well, in production licence 607, well was drilled about 65km southwest of the oil and gas discovery…
Partners in the Pil exploration well 6406/12-3 S have carried out “a highly successful production test” (Drill Stem Test/DST) on the well, on the Norwegian Sea’s Halten Terrace. The well flowed at 6710 bo/d of 37° API oil from a 56/64in…
The first exploration well to be drilled on the Ntem Concession, offshore Cameroon, is to be plugged and abandoned after no commercial hydrocarbons were found. Sterling Energy, partner with Murphy Cameroon Ntem Oil Co., said the well…
The Wood Review proposes a new regulator for the North Sea. Elaine Maslin looks at SIr Ian Wood's recommendations and why a regulator is necessary. Nearly 50 years after the first major discoveries in the North Sea, the basin’s UK industry…
Eni CEO Paolo Scaroni outlined the Italian company’s exploration progress and activities within the country to the President of the Republic of Mozambique Armando Guebuza. Eni announced that the “possibility of enlarging the shareholder base of Area 4 was favorably received by the President…
Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) cleared Statoil to enter the São Bernardo discovery in Espírito Santo (pictured, image courtesy Statoil), the Norwegian company announced. The São Bernardo oil discovery…
The government of Myanmar (Burma) has named Chevron, BG Group, Statoil, Woodside Energy, Shell, and ENI, among others, as selected candidates for its 2013 offshore licensing round. The move follows the lifting of Western sanctions in 2012…
Statoil Petroleum has discovered hydrocarbons in wildcat well 34/8-17 S in production license 120 in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The well was drilled on the north-east flank of the Visund field, in the northern part of the North Sea…
Cairn Energy has said it is committed to its planned 2014 operations, but that spending beyond then is being looked at closely as its awaits resolution of tax issues in India. The Edinburgh-based firm says spending beyond 2014 would depend…
Cairn Energy's JM-1 well, offshore Morocco, is to be plugged and abandoned without testing, after funding heavy oil. The JM-1 well (operated by Cairn with 37.5% WI) was drilled to evaluate Upper Jurassic and Middle Jurassic objectives…
Petrel Resources has been awarded Frontier Exploration Licenses (FEL) 3/14 and 4/14 in the Irish Atlantic Porcupine basin. The acreage licensed collectively covers about 1050sq km or 75% of the 1400sq km previously held under Licensing Options 11/4 and 11/6…
Sir Bill Gammell, the founder and now non-executive chairman of Edinburgh-based exploration firm Cairn Energy, has announced he is to retire on May 15, at the company's AGM. Sir Bill founded Cairn and was appointed to the board as chief executive on its initial listing in 1988…
Pura Vida Energy says a rig share agreement has been signed for the drilling of two wells in the Mazagan permit offshore Morocco by the Atwood Achiever deepwater Drillship. The Atwood Achiever is contracted to Kosmos Energy under a long term hire arrangement…
Statoil and co-venturer ExxonMobil have carried out a successful first drill stem test on their Tanzania Block 2 offshore discovery Zafarani-2. The data acquired will help reduce technical uncertainties in a possible future Tanzania offshore and LNG development…
Det norske oljeselskap is to plug and abandon its exploration well on the Langlitinden prospect after getting disappointing results. The well was the first well in Barents Sea production license 659. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) said the well…