Latest drilling on the Pweza-2 discovery offshore Tanzania has confirmed resource estimates, according to partner Ophir Energy. Appraisal drilling was completed on Pweza-2 in Block 4, 2km to the south of the Pweza-1 discovery, using the DeepSea Metro 1 drillship…
Schlumberger acquired Gushor Inc., a Canadian-based petroleum geochemistry and fluid analysis company that provides production and exploration solutions in the heavy oil and oil sand (HOOS) industry. Formed in 2006, Gushor specializes in the integration of geology…
Salamander Energy plc began its six-well exploration program in block G4/50, Gulf of Thailand. The first well, G4/50-4, was spudded at the end of June. It is being drilled on the Rayong prospect in the northeast section of the block in the central Kra sub-basin…
China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) signed a PSC with PetroBroad Copower Ltd. for block 28/03 in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. Block 28/03 covers 68sq km with 95m water depth. PetroBroad will acquire 3D seismic surveys and drill exploration wells during the exploration period…
A consortium of three companies has made a successful bid for an exploration concession on the Patraikos block, off western Greece. Hellenic Petroleum (operator), Petroceltic International, and Edison International, will each hold a one-third working interest in the concession…
Woodside Petroleum acquired its first offshore exploration acreage in northwest Europe with its agreement to farm-in to three license options in the Atlantic Porcupine Basin. Woodside will become operator of all three licensing options, subject to regulatory approval…
BHP Billiton the signed four production sharing contracts (PSC) with Trinidad and Tobago for four deepwater blocks that the company won in December. The PSCs cover Trinidad and Tobago Deep Atlantic Area (TTDAA) blocks 5, 6, 28 and 29. TTDAA acreage (40…
DONG Energy has made a gas discovery north-west of Shetland after a two-well exploration campaign through 2012-13. DONG said the Cragganmore exploration well, in Block 208/17, had been confirmed as a gas discovery. The well was drilled using the West Navigator drillship in 673m water…
KrisEnergy spuds Tayum-1 well KrisEnergy spudded the Tayum-1 exploration well in the Kutai PSC, offshore East Kalimantan, Indonesia, using the Randolph Yost jackup. The well is targeting multiple stacked deltaic sandstone reservoirs…
Russia's Rosneft and Venezuela's PDVSA struck a deal concerning the implementation of projects offshore Venezuela. The agreement calls for the two companies to conduct joint studies evaluating technical and economic viability of offshore gas and condensate production in Venezuela…
Trinidad and Tobago announced the signing of four production sharing contracts (PSCs) with Australia's BHP Billiton for four deepwater blocks that the company had previously won in December during the country's 2012 deepwater bid round. On…
National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) plans to absorb as much as US $25 billion worth of investment for its development, exploratory and seismic operations during the current Iranian calendar year up to March 2014. At the closing ceremony of seismic operations at Ahwaz oil field…
UK-based exploration firm Ithaca Energy has agreed farm-out deals with Edison International and Shell on North Sea blocks. Shell is to take a 50% stake from Ithaca in production license P2048, covering central North Sea blocks 29/24, 29/25…
Noble Energy announced a non-commercial hydrocarbon find at its second deepwater Gunflint appraisal well in the US Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi Canyon 992 #1, located one mile west of the original discovery well, encountered 109 ft of net pay and was drilled to a total depth of 32…
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum awarded 24 licenses in the country’s 22nd licensing round. The offerings include 20 production licenses in the Barents Sea and four in the Norwegian Sea. The agency granted 29 companies shares—including ConocoPhillips…