Exploration News


Skipper well turns up heavy oil

Sep 30, 2016

Initial results from the Skipper appraisal well in the UK North Sea have shown oil 'significantly' heavier than expected, but in sands with higher permeability than thought. Operator and 100% owner Independent Oil and Gas says it will now review its development strategy for the field…

NOPSEMA asks for further Bight details

Sep 28, 2016

BP is facing more setbacks for its Great Australian Bight drilling program, following a further request from Australia’s National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) for information on the environment plan…

Looking toward the bright side

Sep 27, 2016

Quest Offshore, recently acquired by Wood Mackenzie in August, outlines the highlights of the global deepwater drilling market, region by region. Melissa Sustaita sets out the details. Top…

Hyperdynamics ups Guinea assessment

Sep 27, 2016

Hyperdynamics Corp. received an updated exploration risk assessment of its top two drilling prospects offshore Guinea, that materially increases the probability of exploration success for both. The improved risk assessment follows the…

Quadrant in Roc-2 appraisal discovery

Sep 23, 2016

Quadrant Energy confirmed a gas condensate discovery at the Roc-2 appraisal well offshore Western Australia, according to partner Carnarvon Petroleum. Roc-2 is in WA-437-P exploration permit in the North West Shelf of Australia, where…

Gazprom finds new Sea of Okhotsk field

Sep 22, 2016

Russia's Gazprom has made a discovery on the Kirinsky block in the Sea of Okhotsk.  The firm was drilling an exploration and appraisal well on the Yuzhno-Lunskaya structure within the Sakhalin III project. As a result, a substantial gas and condensate inflow was reported…

Baltim boosted to 1 Tcf off Egypt

Sep 22, 2016

The Baltim South West field offshore Egypt has the potential to hold 1 Tcf of gas in place, according to Eni. Image from Eni. The Italian giant, along with 50:50 partner BP, upgraded…

Shell comes up empty at Cheshire

Sep 21, 2016

Shell Canada is moving on to its next prospect in the Shelburne basin, offshore Nova Scotia, after failing to find commercial hydrocarbons at its first exploration well in the program. Map of the Shelburne basin exploration project…

Lundin green light for Barents Filicudi well

Sep 20, 2016

Lundin Norway has been given the go-ahead to drill well 7219/12-1, or Filicudi, in the Norwegian Barents Sea, using the Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible drilling rig. The well about 24km south of the Salina discovery, made by Eni in 2012…

Statoil opens new command center

Sep 19, 2016

Statoil announced the opening of its new operations center for the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) that will see its workforce grow by 40; in addition its plans to drill three wells in the area.   Scotland’s…

Quadrant to formation test Roc-2

Sep 19, 2016

Quadrant Energy is planning formation testing on the Roc-2 well over the next 7-10 days, according to partner Carnarvon Petroleum. Carnarvon announced a discovery on the well, in the North West Shelf, offshore Western Australia, earlier this month…

New Zealand starts 2017 permit round

Sep 19, 2016

New Zealand's energy and resources minister has fired the starting gun for the country's Block Offer 2017. The Block Offer 2017 will see consultation start on the awarding oil and gas exploration permits in the country - onshore and offshore…

Manora JV completes drilling off Thailand

Sep 16, 2016

Mubadala Petroleum has completed drilling operations at the MNA-17 appraisal well in the Manora oilfield in the Gulf of Thailand, according to partner Tap Oil. The Manora Oil Development joint venture was able to appraise the 500 series sands and assess a separate untested fault block…

25-70 MMboe found near Gjøa

Sep 16, 2016

French operator ENGIE E&P has made a 25-70 MMboe discovery in the Cara well in the Norwegian North Sea. The well was drilled using the Transocean Arctic semisubmersible, in 349m water depth. It is 6km northeast of the ENGIE-operated Gjøa field (pictured)…

Hyperdynamics inks Guinea PSC extension

Sep 15, 2016

Houston independent Hyperdynamics Corp.’s wholly owned subsidiary, SCS Corp. (SCS), and the government of the Republic of Guinea have entered into a one-year extension for a production sharing contract (PSC) offshore Guinea. The deal marks a second amendment to the 2006 PSC…

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