Pedro Vergel joins Houston-based Petrofac Training Services (PTS) as vice president of the Western Hemisphere for Petrofac Training, a newly-created role. Vergel will be responsible for PTS operations in Europe and the Americas as the…
Colombia's National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) received bids from four companies for just five of 19 offshore areas offered in its 2014 licensing round. Spains's Repsol, as operator, was awarded the COL4 license, in the Caribbean Sea, with partners Statoil and ExxonMobil Exploration Colombia…
Brazilian drilling contractor Odebrecht Oil & Gas (OOG) announced that Roberto Simões will take over as the company CEO. Simões has been VP at Odebrecht since 2012, replacing Roberto Ramos. Odebrecht SA incorporated Odebrecht Óleo e Gás in 2006…
Norberto Odebrecht, who founded one of Latin America’s largest engineering companies, Odebrecht, died Saturday of heart failure in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The founder and honorary chairman of the Odebrecht Group, built a successful business with a 70-year history…
Guyana's government information agency (GINA) reported that Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud said that offshore exploration in areas being contested by neighbouring Venezuela is facing “some setbacks”. Responding…
Trinidad and Tobago’s Trinity Exploration signed an agreement with Centrica to acquire the British company’s 80% interests in two offshore blocks. Valued at approximately US$23 million, blocks 1a and 1b are located offshore the west coast of Trinidad…
For the first time ever, a female Brazilian engineer will receive the highest global petroleum engineering award, presented by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Petrobras announced on 17 July. Petrobras CEO Maria das Graças Silva…
Repsol announced a new hydrocarbon discovery in the TB14 well at the Teak field, off the southeast coast of Trinidad. The discovery in the northern part of the Teak B field is estimated to contain more than 40MMbo in place, which increases…
Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. reached an agreement with QGOG Constellation S.A. to contract the semisubmersible drilling rig Olinda Star. The contract includes the drilling of up to four wells offshore Brazil, in Karoon’s S-M-1037, 1101, 1102…
Baker Hughes issued the June 2014 international rotary drilling rig count this week, showing a total of 1344 rigs operating outside the US & Canada in June. International activity was down 6 rigs from the 1350 rigs drilling in May 2014…
On 25 June, London-based Premier Oil plc announced the appointment of Tony Durrant as Chief Executive Officer. Durrant joined Premier in June 2005 and has served as Finance Director of the company for nine years. Prior to joining Premier…
Engineering and project management group AMEC has been awarded the front end engineering and design contract for a tension leg platform for Premier Oil's Falklands Sea Lion development. AMEC will be responsible for the design of the 30…
AP Moller-Maersk subsidiary Maersk Olie og Gas (Maersk Oil) will take a US$1.7 billion impairment on its Brazilian assets, it announced 9 July. The Danish company specifically cited disappointing appraisals as one of the reasons it has “revised…
Continual expansion of unconventional oil and gas development seen over the next decade - most notably in the US, but also around the globe - will necessitate steadily increasing proppant sales over the next 10 years. In the US, proppant…
Kobe Steel, Ltd. announced that its subsidiary company, Kobelco Machinery do Brasil Servicos Empresariais Ltda., has begun full-scale marketing of nonstandard compressors. Based in Sao Paulo, Kobelco Machinery do Brasil (KMB) is Kobe Steel's first location established in Brazil…