North Sea News


Chevron's Alder commissioning starts

Jul 10, 2015

Chevron Upstream Europe has installed a new topsides module on to its Brittania bridge linked platform, paving the way for the start-up of the Alder. The Alder high-pressure, high-temperature field was discovered in 1975, in Block 15/29a…

Total extends contract on West Phoenix

Jul 10, 2015

North Atlantic Drilling has been awarded a contract extension for the semisubmersible drilling rig West Phoenix by Total E&P UK. The contract extension starts mid-March 2016, securing work for the unit through the end of August 2016.…

Gina Krog gets jacket

Jul 09, 2015

June was a busy month for Statoil’s Gina Krog in the North Sea. In the last weeks of June, the Gina Krog jacket was installed and the top floors of the living quarters were lifted into position at Stord. Statoil provided a timeline of…

Premier plows on with projects

Jul 09, 2015

UK-based operator Premier Oil says work on its west of Shetland Solan development remains on track for start up in 4Q, while it looks for cheaper options for its Norwegian Vette project. Premier Oil says it is also moving towards pre…

MOL Group completes Norway deal

Jul 09, 2015

Hungarian exploration outfit MOL Group has completed a deal with UK independent Ithaca Energy, giving it its first step into the Norwegian offshore sector. MOL has bought Ithaca's Norwegian subsidiary, which has stakes in 14 licenses…

Osborne to extend investment allowance

Jul 08, 2015

Chancellor George Osborne (pictured) has thrown a bone to the North Sea oil industry in his Summer Budget speech today (8 July). Osborne confirmed that the UK Government plans to broaden the types of investment qualifying for the Investment Allowance and cluster area allowances…

Global seismic vessel roundup

Jul 07, 2015

Seismic vessels are the lifeblood of global offshore exploration efforts. Jeannie Stell searches for bright spots in the current global market of seismic vessel activity.  The Sanco Sword. From Dolphin Geophysical…

All eyes on Osborne for North Sea support

Jul 07, 2015

North Sea industry stakeholders have called on UK Chancellor George Osborne (pictured) to introduce additional measures to support the ailing oil and gas sector. The Chancellor is due to unveil his Summer Budget tomorrow (8 July). It…

GMS grabs first decommissioning gig

Jul 06, 2015

Self-propelled self-elevating support vessels (SESVs) provider Gulf Marine Services (GMS) was awarded its first decommissioning contract for one of its large class vessels in Europe. Image from GMS…

Baker Hughes inks Johan Sverdrup drilling gig

Jul 06, 2015

Baker Hughes has picked up the US$190 million (NOK1.5 billion) onshore contract for integrated drilling services on the massive Johan Sverdrup field offshore Norway. Baker Hughes joins Norway's Odfjell, which was awarded two contracts…

Ex-Aker firm grabs Johan Sverdrup contracts

Jul 03, 2015

Norway-based Fjords Processing has won three contracts for the deliveries of process systems for the Johan Sverdrup development in the North Sea. The contracts were signed with Statoil on behalf of the Johan Sverdrup license. The scope…

Det norske appraises Ivar Aasen

Jul 02, 2015

Det norske completed the drilling of appraisal wells 16/1-22 S, 16/1-22 A and 16/1-22 B on the Ivar Aasen field, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. The field is in the central part of the North Sea and was proven in 2008…

Johan Sverdrup divvied up

Jul 02, 2015

The Norwegian government has proposed how to divvy up stakes in the giant Johan Sverdrup field, with Det norske losing out. How to divide up the field has been in despute since earlier this year, resulting in a delay to the government's…

Counting the cost

Jul 01, 2015

As decommissioning begins in earnest in the UK North Sea, the real cost of decommissioning is starting to be seen. Elaine Maslin reports on a study conducted to assess the increasing costs. The…

Jack of all trades

Jul 01, 2015

Decommissioning, plugging and abandonment, well workovers, EOR, and even offshore renewables maintenance could be performed from the dual decks of the CDC Heron. Elaine Maslin reports. The CDC Heron multipurpose vessel design…

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