Exploration News


Statoil, Petrobras strengthen Brazil pact

Aug 30, 2016

Norwegian giant Statoil and Brazilian giant Petrobras entered into a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation between the two offshore Brazil. Statoil CEO, Eldar Sætre (left)…

Statoil plans for major Barents exploration

Aug 30, 2016

Statoil aims to conduct a major exploration campaign in several parts of the Barents Sea in 2017, in addition to strengthening its position in the area through several transactions with other companies. Barents map…

25.5 billion bbl in place in West Orphan Basin, estimate

Aug 26, 2016

There could be 25.5 billion bbl in place and 20.6 Tcf of gas in the West Orphan Basin, in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) 2016 Eastern Newfoundland Call for Bids, according to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador…

Record well depth achieved off Norway, on uHPHT well

Aug 25, 2016

Maersk Drilling's Maersk Gallant jackup drilling rig has beaten the record for drilling the deepest well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The well, which reached a total depth of 5941m on 31 July, was on Total's Solaris ultra-high-pressure…

Mexico reveals prequalified deepwater bidders

Aug 25, 2016

Mexico's state oil regulator, the Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH), has revealed 26 companies that have qualified to participate in the country's so-called Round 1.4, in Mexico's deepwater offshore. The companies pre-qualified in the fourth phase of Mexico's historic Round One…

FAR exercises Senegal pre-emption rights

Aug 23, 2016

FAR Ltd. is exercising its pre-emption rights over the proposed sale of ConocoPhillips interests in Senegal to Woodside Petroleum, a deal that was struck in July. Map from FAR. In mid-July…

Statoil takes over two North Sea blocks

Aug 23, 2016

Norway's Statoil has agreed to acquire a 70% stake in two blocks in the UK North Sea from Jersey Oil & Gas and CIECO Exploration for US$2 million, and is planning to drill and exploration well on one of the blocks in 2017.   The two blocks…

Premier, partners to tender semisub off Mexico

Aug 19, 2016

Premier Oil and its partners in the upcoming shallow water bid round offshore Mexico are anticipating to go out to tender for a moored, semisubmersible rig for Block 7 in Q4 2016, the company revealed in its 1H 2016 report. Map of Blocks 2 and 7…

BP submits second Great Australian Bight plan

Aug 19, 2016

Supermajor BP has submitted its second environment plan for the Great Australian Bight to the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), proposing the drilling of two exploration wells. Great…

Woodside prepares for 2017 Myanmar drilling campaign

Aug 19, 2016

Woodside Petroleum is preparing for its Myanmar drilling campaign as soon as next year, after identifying 2.4 Tcf of gas in the area earlier this year. Coleman. Image from Woodside. “Our…

IOG comes up dry at Skipper

Aug 19, 2016

Independent Oil and Gas (IOG) has come up dry in Skipper’s secondary objective, and the company will plug and abandon the well. IOG completed its first operated appraisal well on its 100% owned and operated Skipper oil discovery which…

Successful Skipper well, despite delays

Aug 17, 2016

UK based explorer Independent Oil and Gas (IOG) is targeting two prospects thought to contain 46 MMbbl after successfully appraising the Skipper oil discovery in the North Sea. While drilling the Skipper appraisal well hit delays, due to the need to re-spud the well…

Quadrant discovers gas, potential at Roc-2

Aug 16, 2016

Quadrant Energy has encountered a 10m section of elevated gas readings its Roc-2 well, in addition to moderate fluorescence that indicates exploration potential in the area offshore Western Australia. Map of Roc-2…

Cairn eyes another 500 MMbbl off Senegal

Aug 16, 2016

Independent explorer Cairn Energy is looking to restart drilling offshore Senegal 'shortly' with some 500 MMbbl extra resources in its sights, the firm said this morning.  The latest drilling program off Senegal, will include appraisal of the 'world-class' SNE discovery…

Quadrant in Driftwood-1 water wet show

Aug 15, 2016

Quadrant Energy’s Driftwood-1 commitment well intersected water wet objectives offshore Western Australia. Image of the Tom Prosser, from Noble. Driftwood-1, is in the WA-320-P permit…

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