North Sea News


Unmanned buoy concepts grow

May 12, 2014

A 20-year-old concept is receiving increasing attention in the North Sea as operators look for options to develop marginal fields. The concept is for unmanned production buoys, which could cost-effectively support production from small or marginal fields…

Cygnus jacket floats out

May 12, 2014

A year of significant construction work on the Cygnus gas project by Burntisland Fabrication (BiFab) came to fruition recently as major infrastructure sailed out from the yard in Methil, Fife.  Operator GDF SUEZ E&P UK Ltd (38.75%) and partners Centrica Energy (48…

Lundin assesses Edward Grieg upside

May 12, 2014

Lundin Petroleum (Lundin Petroleum), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Lundin Norway (Lundin Norway), is pleased to announce that the appraisal drilling and testing of the well 16/1-18 on the Edvard Grieg field in the North Sea sector of…

BOP ops' guidance issued

May 12, 2014

Oil & Gas UK has released issue 2 of its guidelines on Blowout Preventer (BOP) operations for offshore wells to improve cross industry understanding of well-related issues on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). In addition to providing operators…

Can North Sea replace Russian gas?

May 12, 2014

Western Europe will continue to rely on imported Russian gas into the 2020s, as mature offshore provinces struggle for growth, while large-scale shale gas extraction looks increasingly unlikely in the medium term. Following Moscow’s intervention…

173 North Sea round applications

May 06, 2014

More than 170 applications have been received for the latest offshore licensing round in the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) says.  The 28th Offshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round closed for applications on Friday 25 April…

Xcite, Shell, Statoil join forces

May 06, 2014

UK heavy oil explorer Xcite Energy has entered into a collaboration agreement with Statoil and Shell over the Bentley and Bressay fields in the North Sea. The move could see the two heavy oil fields developed using the same infrastructure…

Transocean to spin off North Sea units

May 06, 2014

Transocean is to create a new business unit called Caledonia Offshore Drilling Company to run its eight-strong North Sea midwater drilling rig fleet. The company expects to establish the new business unit during 2H 2014 and, at an appropriate stage…

Wood Group challenges rising costs

May 06, 2014

Wood Group subsidiary Wood Group PSN has put its money where its mouth is and announced plans to address cost escalation in the North Sea by reducing rates paid to its UK-based onshore contract workers. The firm said the move was in response…

BorWin beta topsides installed, German North Sea

May 03, 2014

OVERDICK announced that the BorWin beta topsides has been successfully installed in the German sector of the North Sea, about 53nm NNW of the island of Borkum. The step marks the completion of the most critical phase in the offshore campaign…

North Sea activity slows

May 02, 2014

Poor weather and high costs have impacted Q1 exploration and appraisal drilling activity on the UK Continental Shelf, according to a report by Deloitte.  The report, which details activity across North West Europe during Q1, was compiled by Deloitte’s Petroleum Services Group (PSG)…

BW seals Catcher FPSO deal

May 02, 2014

BW Offshore has signed the contract with Premier Oil for the provision of a floating production, storage and offloading vessel to operate on the Catcher oil field in the UK North Sea.  The firm charter period of the contract is seven years…

UK H&S excellence recognized

May 01, 2014

Industry excellence in health and safety was recognized at the UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards yesterday. Held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, the event recognizes and honors the companies and people who embody the spirit of safety and innovation across the sector…

Global Deepwater Review: Deepwater drives manufacturing expansion

May 01, 2014

A large-bore center tube umbilical cross section. Photo by: DUCO.  The growing deepwater market is driving pipeline and umbilical manufacturing expansion on Newcastle's Walker Riverside in the UK…

Tullow to start Suriname work in 2015

Apr 30, 2014

Tullow Oil has announced it plans a 4000km sq 3D seismic acquisition program next year in block 54 offshore Suriname. In January, the company agreed to a production-sharing contract that gave it a 50% operated stake, in partnership with state-owned Staatsolie…

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