Exploration News


Lundin launches Barents exploration campaign

Jul 21, 2016

Lundin Petroleum has started its 2016 exploration and appraisal campaign in the Loppa High area in the southern Barents Sea targeting 587-862 MMboe. The winterized Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible drilling rig (pictured) has been contracted…

Zennor eyes Finlaggan production by 2019

Jul 21, 2016

UK independent Zennor Petroleum has drilled a successful appraisal well on the Finlaggan gas condensate accumulation in the UK North Sea. Finlaggan is in license P2013, in Block 21/5c, awarded in the 27th licensing round to Zennor. The Finlaggan discovery was made by ConocoPhillips in 2005…

Premier spuds Bagpuss heavy oil prospect

Jul 21, 2016

Premier Oil spudded the Bagpuss heavy oil exploration well in the Moray Firth in the UK North Sea on 18 July, using the Ocean Valiant drilling rig, says partner North Sea Energy. Drilling results are expected in early August. The well…

Mexico sets Round 2 terms

Jul 19, 2016

Mexico’s Ministry of Energy (SENER) has approved auction terms for the first phase of Round 2, which will auction 15 shallow water areas in the Gulf of Mexico. The round is set to open in late March 2017. Image from CNH…

Engie spuds Cara exploration well, Norway

Jul 19, 2016

ENGIE E&P Norge has spudded the Cara exploration well in PL 636 Cara in the Norwegian northern North Sea.  The well is 35km offshore and approximately 6km from the Gjøa field in about 350m water depth. The well, being drilled using the Transocean Arctic semisubmersible drilling rig…

EnQuest to farm out 20% of Kraken to Delek

Jul 18, 2016

EnQuest and Delek Group have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to farm out 20% interest in the Kraken heavy oil development in the UK North Sea. The area is located in Blocks 9/2b and 9/2c in License P1575, approximately 350km northeast of the city of Aberdeen…

Sirius gets Ororo ok

Jul 18, 2016

Nigeria-focused Sirius Petroleum received approval from the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment on its environmental impact assessment survey (EIA) on the Ororo Field Licence, OML 95, which covers the drilling of three wells and the installation of wellhead platforms…

World's largest jackup delivered to Noble

Jul 18, 2016

Sembcorp Marine delivered the world’s largest jackup rig, the Noble Lloyd Noble, to Noble Corp. after uncertainties in the delivery date due to damage the rig endured in February. Illustration of the Noble Lloyd Noble…

Skipper well to spud next week

Jul 14, 2016

UK explorer Independent Oil and Gas (IOG) is due to spud an appraisal well on the Skipper oil discovery next week. The Skipper prospect, 100% owned by IOG, is in Block 9/21a in license P1609 in the northern North Sea. IOG says success of the well would be 'transformational' for the company…

Updated: BP gets another Great Australian Bight extension

Jul 13, 2016

Australia's National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) is giving UK supermajor BP until the end of August to resubmit its modified environmental plan for exploration drilling at the Great Australian Bight that the offshore regulator rejected last year…

Premier close to drilling on Bagpuss heavy oil prospect

Jul 12, 2016

UK independent Premier Oil is planning to spud the Bagpuss heavy oil prospect in the Moray Firth in the North Sea this month, later than initially expected.  Premier oil will use the Ocean Valiant semisubmersible drilling rig, which is…

Faroe's Brasse adds pay

Jul 11, 2016

Faroe Petroleum has successfully side-tracked its appraisal well on the Brasse discovery in licence PL740 in the Norwegian North Sea. The side-track well (31/7-1A) was appraising the south-eastern part of the Brasse discovery. Results based on extensive coring…

Santos completes Indonesia appraisal well

Jul 08, 2016

Following a mechanical error, Santos has completed drilling the AAL-4XST1 appraisal well in the Northwest Natuna permit area, offshore Indonesia.  Map from AWE. The joint venture…

Noble to drill Tamar-8 in Q4

Jul 07, 2016

Noble Energy and its partners in the Tamar project will drill at the Tamar-8 well offshore Israel in Q4 2016. Image of Tamar operations, from Delek. Tamar-8 is located 100km west of Haifa…

Tullow fails at Rome

Jul 07, 2016

Tullow Oil Norge failed to find any hydrocarbons at the Rome prospect in the Central North Sea, and will now plug and abandon exploration well 16/5-6 in production licence PL776. The well was drilled to a total vertical depth of 2319m…

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