North Sea News


Ocean Installer bags Balder deal

Jun 16, 2015

ExxonMobil awarded Ocean Installer its first call-off contract for subsea well tie-back, engineering, IRM (inspection, maintenance and repair), ROV and associated services at the Balder field. The Normand Mermaid…

Wintershall unmanned L6-B onstream

Jun 16, 2015

Wintershall’s unmanned mini-platform L6-B started the production of natural gas off the Dutch North Sea coast in a restricted military zone. The L6-B unmanned platform.  From Wintershall…

UTC: The one-atmosphere experiment

Jun 16, 2015

Subsea challenges are in focus at this week’s Underwater Technology Conference (UTC) in Bergen. While the conference examines future oilfield challenges, we take a look back at past innovations in the industry. In a three-part series, Elaine Maslin looks at three past papers from UTC Bergen’s…

Exxon gets Jotun extension

Jun 15, 2015

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) granted an extension to ExxonMobil to use the Jotun A floating production storage offloading (FPSO) vessel and Jotun B wellhead platform beyond their original expected lifetimes in the North Sea…

Statoil awards Johan Sverdrup drilling contracts

Jun 15, 2015

Statoil has awarded Odfjell Drilling two contracts worth more than US$550 million (NOK 4.35 billion) for drilling services on its massive Johan Sverdrup field. The $14.8 billion first phase development on the field will see four, bridge-linked installations alone…

Survey paints bleak UKCS portrait

Jun 11, 2015

The Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce released findings today (11 June) from its 22nd Oil and Gas Survey conducted in partnership with law firm Bond Dickinson, which revealed startling new numbers showing that confidence levels in the…

FPSO market to reach US$8.65 billion in 2015

Jun 11, 2015

The global capital spending on newbuild and converted floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels could reach US$8.65 billion this year, according to consultancy firm Visiongain.  The largest spend will be focused on offshore…

Lundin gets Edvard Grieg nod

Jun 10, 2015

Lundin Norway received approval from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate to drill an appraisal well located southeast of the giant Edvard Grieg field, in the central North Sea. Map of well 16/1-23S…

Ivar Aasen gets its steel jacket

Jun 10, 2015

Det norske installed the 8900-tonne steel jacket for its Ivar Aasen platform in the North Sea. The Ivar Aasen steel jacket. Images from Det norske. The Saipem-built jacket was lifted in place down to the seabed at 112m water depth…

Suncor starts Niobe

Jun 08, 2015

Suncor Energy began operations at the Niobe exploration prospect in the UK North Sea, according to partner Trap Oil. Niobe map. From Suncor. Niobe is located in license P.1889…

Kvaerner/KBR JV grabs Johan Sverdrup gig

Jun 08, 2015

After some tough international competition, Statoil chose the Kvaerner/KBR joint venture to take on the US$849 million (NOK 6.7 billion) contract for the complete delivery of the platform topside to the Johan Sverdrup field development in the North Sea…

Seanic field tests torque tool

Jun 05, 2015

Seanic Ocean Systems has successfully field tested its electric torque tool. The client, a major oil company in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, has reported highly accurate performance of the torque tool and innovative design features over the course of several jobs…

NorSea beefs up senior team

Jun 05, 2015

NorSea Group (UK) has established a new executive team to lead the company’s growth in Scotland. Walter Robertson has been appointed managing director while Mike Munro becomes the company’s first operations director.  Walter has 30…

Erskine offers Serica new opportunity

Jun 05, 2015

Chevron's Erskine field has restarted production after being shut-in since September last year while a major upgrade was carried out on BG Group's Lomond facility, which it exports production through. Before the shut-down, the field was producing about a quarter of what is able to…

Third time's the charm

Jun 04, 2015

Forty years ago this month (June), after a frenzy of exploration and something of a race to be first, first oil was produced from the UK North Sea. Opened by then-UK Energy Secretary Tony Benn, the Hamilton Brothers’ Argyll field beat BP’s Forties field to the post by just over three months…

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