Exploration News


New explorer gets $300 million boost

May 23, 2017

New Norwegian exploration firm Mime Petroleum has agreed to an investment deal worth up to US$300 million from Blue Water Energy. Oslo-headquartered Mime Petroleum has been set up to focus on developing existing fields and licenses on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS)…

Statoil starts at Blåmann in Barents

May 22, 2017

Statoil has started drilling at the Blåmann well in the Barents Sea, the first of five wells in its exploration program, the Norwegian giant announced today (22 May). Image of the Songa Enabler…

Statoil to drill Vigdis with Bideford Dolphin

May 22, 2017

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has approved for Statoil to use the Bideford Dolphin mobile drilling facility for production drilling at Vigdis in the Norwegian North Sea. Statoil is to plug the B-1 AH production well on the Vigdis field…

Statoil takes up Bideford drilling option

May 19, 2017

Statoil has exercised its option for an additional well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf with Dolphin Drilling using the semisubmersible drilling unit Bideford Dolphin. The well will be in direct continuation with the upcoming well…

Cook Inlet lease sale set for June

May 18, 2017

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) says it will offer about 1.09 million acres in the Cook Inlet, offshore Alaska’s south central coast in a lease sale scheduled for next month. Map of the 224 areas included in the Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244…

Cairn finds further Senegal success

May 18, 2017

Cairn Energy’s latest SNE well offshore Senegal, SNE-6, has proved to be successful, with the confirmation of good connectivity with the SNE-5 well. Map of Senegal, from Cairn. Cairn…

Ophir sanctions Bualuang phase IV

May 17, 2017

Ophir Energy has reached a final investment decision (FID) for the fourth phase of its Bualuang oil field in the Gulf of Thailand, with first oil set for next year. Operations in the Gulf of Thailand…

Faroe to drill Brasse duo with Deepsea Bergen

May 16, 2017

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has approved Faroe Petroleum to drill two exploration wells at the Brasse prospect in the North Sea, starting next month. Brasse (well 31/7-1) is some 97km west of Øygarden in Hordaland county in production license 740…

WoodMac survey shows cautious optimism on oil prices

May 15, 2017

A recent Wood Mackenzie survey finds that 80% of oil and gas operators expect oil prices to reach the US$50-$60/bbl range this year.  Despite optimism over oil prices, survey respondents remain very cautious right now, with little appetite for risk…

Eni brings Jangkrik online off Indonesia

May 15, 2017

Italian giant Eni has gotten a jump-start at its deepwater Jangkrik Development Project offshore Indonesia, starting gas production ahead of schedule. The Jangkrik FPU. Image from Eni Twitter. Jangkrik consists of two gas fields…

Australian government announces lease round

May 15, 2017

The Australian government’s annual Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release has been announced with 21 areas on offer. The areas are across eight sedimentary basins in Commonwealth waters offshore of Northern Australia, Western Australia…

Report mostly supports Bight exploration

May 15, 2017

Members on an Australian Senate Inquiry have mostly supported oil and gas activities in the Great Australian Bight, subject to robust regulatory standards, says the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA). The…

Ophir's Ayamé well dry

May 15, 2017

Ophir Energy's Ayamé-1X exploration well offshore the Ivory Coast found oil, but not in significant quantities.  The well, in block CI-513, reached a total depth of 5394m true vertical depth sub sea.  The well was targeting a number…

Repsol's Stordal comes up dry

May 12, 2017

Repsol Norge has come up dry at the Stordal wildcat in the Norwegian Sea, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD). Map of Stordal in PL 705, from the NPD. Upon completing drilling operations at Stordal (well 6705/7-1)…

Total inks deepwater Mauritania deal

May 12, 2017

Total has signed up to explore another deepwater block offshore Mauritania that the French giant says is in a high-potential zone. Image from Total. Total inked an exploration…

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