Following the success of its 2012 and 2014 bidding rounds, the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy of Equatorial Guinea has announced it will launch a new bidding round for all remaining deep and ultra-deepwater blocks in 2016. Two…
Retrieving an unreliable blowout preventer (BOP) is a necessary but expensive operation, costing upwards of US$1-2 million dollars. This cost can easily escalate in developing ultra deepwater regions such as Brazil, West Africa and Gulf of Mexico…
McDermott International received regulatory approval for its McDermott Marine Construction Ghana Ltd. (MMCGL) joint venture to pursue key offshore opportunities in Ghana. McDermott and MMCGL officials made the announcement during the 2015 Africa Oil Week in Cape Town…
Statoil has completed a farm-in transaction with ExxonMobil, acquiring a 35% interest in the ER 12/3/154 Tugela South Exploration Right offshore South Africa. The remaining interests are held by operator ExxonMobil (40%) and co-venturer Impact Africa (25%)…
Mozambique is looking forward to some US$691 million spending on exploration after naming successful bidders in its fifth licensing round. ExxonMobil, with partner Rosneft, has led the pack in bids to win new acreage, including deepwater areas…
CGG announced that it has been appointed as technical consultant by the Gabonese Republic’s Ministry of Petroleum and Hydrocarbons to help with the promotion of its 11th Licensing Round focusing on five highly prospective deepwater blocks…
New analysis is estimating that Eni’s Zohr natural gas discovery has significant technical, commercial, and strategic implications for the gas market in Egypt, according to IHS Energy. Map of Zohr…
Galp Energia entered into an agreement with the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, and Kosmos Energy for the award of Block 6 offshore São Tomé and Príncipe, offshore Africa. Galp Energia will be the operator of the block with 45% interest…
Image: crane simulator in Egypt/GE Marine In 2012, the AAST-GE DP Center was established through a joint effort between GE and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport…
Foxtrot International has started production from a second platform on Block CI-27 offshore Côte d'Ivoire, according to Foxtrot part owner, Oslo listed RAK Petroleum. The Marlin-B1ST well, the first well in an initial five-well drilling…
EMAS Offshore secured additional options for extensions on an existing contract, as well as new awards for charters with an oil major and independent oil company in West Africa and Asia valued at more than US$33 million (including options)…
African focussed exploration and production firm Addax Petroleum has extended its contract with Malaysia's Yinson Holdings for use of a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The Knock Adoon FPSO has been working on the Antan field offshore Nigeria…
Genel Energy has announced the retirement of Mehmet Sepil, president of Genel, effective immediately. Sepil founded Genel Energy and was CEO from 2002 until the merger with Vallares PLC in 2011, when he became president. “[Sepil’s]…
VAALCO Energy has announced a re-sequencing update to its drilling and workover program offshore Gabon in the Etame Marin block. Previously announced on 16 September 2015, VAALCO planned to mobilize the Transocean Constellation II jackup…
Eni is increasing its presence offshore Egypt, as the company picks up two licenses in the 2015 EGAS bid round. Image from Eni Flickr. The two exploration licenses, North El Hammad and North Ras El Esh…