Exploration News


Do call it a (deepwater) comeback

May 11, 2017

Gulf of Mexico operators BP and Murphy Oil sing the praises of a new below US$50/bbl breakeven world at this year’s OTC Houston. Audrey Leon reports. Image of Morrison presenting at OTC. Images from OTC…

Lundin spuds Alta appraisal in Barents Sea

May 11, 2017

Lundin Petroleum has started drilling appraisal well 7220/11-4 (Alta-4) on the Alta discovery in PL609, on the Loppa High in the southern Barents Sea. The Alta-4 well is about 2km south of the original discovery well 7220/11-1 and is the fourth well to be drilled on the Alta discovery…

WGEG predicts bright global outlook

May 10, 2017

In Westwood Global Energy Group’s (WGEG) eighth annual State of Exploration Report, the private equity firm expects a brighter outlook with exploration efficiencies starting to deliver results.   The…

Parkmead takes Farne stake to 100%

May 10, 2017

UK independent Parkmead has agreed a deal with Verus Petroleum to acquire 50% interest in North Sea License P.2209 containing the Farne Extension prospect and a further four prospective leads. The moves secures 100% interest in the license for Parkmead…

Statoil to drill on Troll with Songa Encourage

May 09, 2017

Statoil has received consent from Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) to use Songa Encourage semisubmersible vessel for drilling and completing a production well on the Troll field. Image of the Songa Encourage…

Cobalt looks for North Platte partner

May 08, 2017

Cobalt International Energy has opened a data room for its deepwater US Gulf of Mexico North Platte field as it announced the latest appraisal well drilling results on the field. Cobalt, which says the field, with an estimated 500-800 MMbbl resource range…

Carnarvon gets Cerberus extension

May 08, 2017

The Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) of the government of Western Australia approved Carnarvon Petroleum’s application to suspend and extend the year three work commitments for the Cerberus project. Map of Cerberus…

Lundin gets Alta appraisal approval

May 08, 2017

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has granted Lundin consent to drill the exploration well 7220/11-4 in a prospect named Alta, in Block 7220 in the Barents Sea. Lundin is the operator for production license 609 in the Barents Sea…

BP, Kosmos in major Senegal find, potential new LNG hub

May 08, 2017

Dallas-based Kosmos Energy and BP have made a new, major gas discovery offshore Senegal, which could support a second LNG hub in the basin, according to the independent. Kosmos estimates that the Yakaar-1 discovery, drilled using the Atwood Achiever drillship…

Europa adds 553 MMboe Ervine and Edgeworth to pot

May 08, 2017

Europa Oil & Gas has identified two prospects which could contain up to 553 MMboe in Ireland's South Porcupine Basin.  According to a competent person’s report by ERC Equipoise including, two pre-rift prospects, Ervine and Edgeworth,…

Faroe given nod for Brasse appraisal

May 05, 2017

Faroe Petroleum has been given Norwegian Petroleum Directorate approval to drill appraisal well 31/7-2 S on the Brasse discovery. Well 31/7-2 S will be drilled using the Deepsea Bergen semisubmersible drilling rig in production license 740…

Azinor inks rig for two UKCS wells

May 05, 2017

Private equity backed Azinor Catalyst has awarded a rig contract to Diamond Offshore Drilling for use of the Ocean Guardian semisubmersible rig to drill two wells in Q3 2017. The first exploration well will target the Partridge prospect…

Statoil close to starting Barents Sea exploration program

May 04, 2017

Statoil says it is about to start its exploration program in the Barents Sea testing five to seven new opportunities over the next six months.  The program will test new targets, both in the relatively well known geology around in the Johan Castberg and Hoop/Wisting area…

Anadarko makes third Colombia discovery

May 04, 2017

Anadarko has made its third discovery in deepwater offshore Colombia, with the Gorgon well. The Gorgon-1 well encountered 260-360ft net of natural gas pay, according to Anadarko.  Partner Ecopetrol said the well showed gas presence in two different exploration targets…

Gohta reserves to be reduced after appraisal well

May 03, 2017

Lundin Petroleum's latest appraisal well on the Gohta field, in the Barents Sea, has had disappointing results, resulting in a downgrade in the field's resource estimate. Appraisal well 7120/1-5, in PL492, was 4km north of the original…

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