Exploration News


Hurricane halts farmout discussions

Jun 08, 2016

UK-based fractured basement explorer Hurricane Energy has suspended farm-outs talks on its west of Shetland Lancaster project after raising enough financing to do its latest appraisal work itself. The firm raised £52.1 million in May…

Skipper well back on, with alternative financing

Jun 07, 2016

Independent Oil and Gas is finally set to drill its delayed appraisal well on the Skipper discovery in the Northern North Sea next month using Transocean's Sedco 704 semisubmersible drilling rig.  The vertical well will be drilled to…

Inpex spuds well offshore Japan

Jun 07, 2016

Japanese explorer Inpex has started exploration well drilling offshore Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures, Japan. The well is being drilled as part of a project commissioned by Japan's Agency of Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy…

Equatorial Guinea launches EG Ronda 2016

Jun 06, 2016

Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy (MMIE) has launched the country’s latest licensing round, EG Ronda 2016, that offers 32 blocks offshore West Africa. Image of Minister of Mines…

Updated: Ireland awards 14 licenses in 2nd phase

Jun 03, 2016

Fourteen new licensing options have been granted to 11 companies in Ireland’s second phase of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round, which has received the largest response in Ireland’s offshore history.   Of the 11 companies…

Tullow to drill Rome with Borgland Dolphin

Jun 03, 2016

Tullow Oil Norge (TONAS) has received consent from Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) to drill an exploration well in Block 16/5 in the North Sea. The well will be drilled in a prospect named Rome, with the designation 16/5-6.…

Rosneft, Statoil begin drilling at Sea of Okhotsk

Jun 02, 2016

Rosneft and its partner Statoil have started drilling on the Ulberikanskayaat prospect in the Lisiansky license in the Sea of Okhotsk. The Nanhai_9 rig, from Rosneft. Well Ulberikanskaya…

Noble gets Leviathan green light

Jun 02, 2016

Noble Energy has received approval to move forward with the development of Leviathan, offshore Israel, in addition to inking a US$2.5 billion deal to supply up to 473 Bcf from the highly anticipated project. Image from Delek…

Point Resources launches in Norway

Jun 02, 2016

Norwegian private equity outfit HitecVision has merged three of its exploration and production companies into one firm, Point Resources. Point Resources combines Core Energy, Spike Exploration and Pure E&P and has US$300 million in new…

Statoil to drill for more in Krafla area

May 31, 2016

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Statoil a drilling permit for two wildcat wells and an appraisal well, if a discovery is made, in PL 035. The wells, 30/11-14, 30/11-14 A and 30/11-14 B, will be drilled from the Songa Delta semisubmersible drilling rig…

Malaysia gas find for Sapura

May 31, 2016

SapuraKencana Energy discovered gas in two of the three wells drilled in 2015 within the SK408 block contract area, offshore Malaysia in Sarawak. The first well Jerun-1 is approximately 5km north of the 2014 Bakong gas discovery. Based on analysis of electric log…

Oil slump impacts Norwegian investment figures

May 27, 2016

Estimates for total investments covering oil and gas, manufacturing, mining and quarrying and electricity supply in Norway expected to fall in Norway in 2017, mainly due a decrease in oil and gas and manufacturing. The projection, from Statistics Norway…

Mixed results for West Cable, off Norway

May 27, 2016

Det Norske has completed two appraisal wells on the West Cable discovery, nearby the Ivar Aasen field in the Norwegian North Sea. The wells, in license 001 Bm, 16/1-26 S and 16/1-26 A, were drilled about 1.5km southeast of the 16/1-7…

Mubadala fails at Thai well

May 26, 2016

Mubadala Petroleum has failed to find commercial quantities of oil at its Sri Trang-1 exploration well in the northern Gulf of Thailand. Sri Trang-1 is located in the G1/48 concession, approximately 18km north-northeast of the Manora oil development…

Eni gets Aurelia green light

May 26, 2016

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has given Eni Norge consent to drill an exploration well in Block 7222 in the Barents Sea. Eni Norge is the operator for production license 226 in the Barents Sea. The well is to be drilled in a prospect named Aurelia…

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