Australia-based explorer Pura Vida Energy has agreed in principal a deal with a rig contractor to fund a share of the costs of a three-well drilling program offshore Gabon, west Africa, in return for a share of future production on any discoveries found…
Norway's latest licensing round has seen the fewest companies awarded licenses in the Norwegian Awards in Predefined (APA) areas in a decade. But, the number of licenses offered remains high - the most since 2013, in fact, creating an opportunity…
Total 2016 offshore discovered liquids resources reached only slightly below 2.3 billion bbl, 90% lower than in 2010, according to Norwegian consultancy Rystad. Furthermore, Rystad says total global discovered volumes (oil and gas combined) are their lowest since the 1940s…
Statoil is set to drill its next well, on the Mim prospect, near the Norne field after being given the green light by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Statoil will use the Deepsea Bergen semisubmersible drilling rig to drill well 6507/3-12 in production license 159 B…
Canadian junior firm Corridor Resources was issued exploration license EL-1153 from the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) in exchange for the surrender of exploration license EL-1105 covering the Old Harry Prospect in the Gulf of St…
Cairn Energy is moving to further explore Senegal, and working towards first oil in the North Sea this year, in what the company calls an eventful period. The Kraken FPSO, from Cairn. “The…
Offers for 56 new production licenses on the Norwegian continental shelf are being made to 29 companies, 17 of which are operators. The offers are being made after 33 companies applied in the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate's (NPD) the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2016…
North Atlantic Drilling has been awarded a one-well contract for the semi-submersible West Phoenix for work in the UK, West of Shetland. The contract is in direct continuation with the West Phoenix' existing contract and the total backlog is estimated to be $17 million…
Statoil is considering a subsea tieback to the Norne floating production unit after making a 20-80 MMboe oil and gas recoverable discovery on the nearby Cape Vulture well in the Norwegian Sea. The tieback project consideration comes as…
US independent Hess will increase its 2017 exploration and production (E&P) budget, turning its attention to activity offshore Norway, Guyana, and the Gulf of Mexico, the company announced on 12 January. Image from Hess…
ExxonMobil has hit gold offshore Guyana with its new ultra deepwater Payara discovery, in addition to upping its ante at the giant Liza field. The Stena Carron, from Stena Drilling. The…
UK-listed independent Ophir Energy says preparations for drilling to restart on the deepwater Ayame-1 oil exploration well offshore Ivory Coast, Africa, are at an advanced stage. The well is expected to spud in late May and is targeting about 240 MMbbl Pmean recoverable resources…
Eni has started drilling on the Boné (Dazzler) exploration well 7318/12-1 in the Norwegian Barents Sea. Boné, being drilled using the Scarabeo 8 semisubmersible drilling rig is in a similar structural setting to the Johan Castberg discovery…
UK Independent Serica Energy is targeting a development plan for the long-dormant North Sea Columbus field this year, the firm said today. Serica is also firming up plans to drill its Rowallan prospect in North Sea block 22/18c in 2018…
Wellhead engineering firm Plexus Holdings says it is confident exploration activity will soon pick up from today's historic lows, after signing a four-year framework agreement with Centrica Norway. Under the agreement, Aberdeen-based…