North Sea producers have been given a tax break in the UK Government's 2016 Budget, announced today. Amid falling oil prices, high costs and falling production, Chancellor George Osborne had already made some tax reductions and created…
Kosmos Energy says its Greater Tortue Complex offshore Mautitania has the potential to create a new 'world-scale' LNG development, following the results of its latest appraisal well. The firm said the results of its Ahmeyim-2 appraisal well…
Sterling Energy is to withdraw from the Block C-3 joint venture, offshore Mauritania. The move will see Tullow Oil take over Sterling's 40.5% share in the production sharing contract (PSC) for Block C-3. Upon completion, the holders of the PSC will be: Tullow (Operator) 90%…
Statoil has exercised an option with Ocean Installer for flexible jumper replacement at the Vigdis field. The option falls under an amendment to the previously awarded SLMP Marine Installation contract. Vigdis is in block 34/7 in the…
The Obama Administration has decided to rescind a proposal to drill off the US Atlantic Coast in 13 areas, due to current market dynamics, strong local opposition, and conflicts with competing commercial and military ocean uses, the US Department of the Interior (DOI) said today (15 March)…
XACT Downhole Telemetry deployed six deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GoM) deployments that provided real-time downhole data during a deepwater completion installation with BP. BP successfully accessed real-time downhole data throughout the well’s completion…
Tullow Oil has declared force majeure on two cargoes from its Jubilee development, offshore Ghana, after issues with a turret bearing on the Kwame Nkrumah floating storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, according to news reports. The Kwame Nkrumah…
SeeByte and Tritech International have integrated SeeByte’s target tracking capabilities into Tritech’s Gemini 720is multibeam imaging sonar software. This agreement sees the integration of Tritech’s Gemini 720is sonar with SeeByte’s tracking analytics…
Transocean will lay off about 80 jobs that were part of the Transocean Discoverer Americas ultra deepwater unit, which Statoil canceled in December. The Discoverer Americas, from Transocean. The 70-80 lay offs…
UK-based explorer Cairn Energy has increased its resource estimate on the major SNE discovery offshore Senegal by 20%, with potential for it to increase further, following successful appraisal work. The deepwater field, sitting in about 1100m water depth…
Songa Offshore is looking to raise US$150 million in cash to help it deliver the fourth and final Cat D new build rig, the Songa Enabler. The firm has been building the rigs for client Statoil. But, lower than expected utilization rates on the first two delivered units…
Petrofac is supporting Tullow Oil on its decommissioning program for the Horne and Wren platform in the Southern North Sea. The role sees Petrofac, which has been duty holder on the platform for more than 10 years, move into well plugging and abandonment operations on the field…
UK-based subsea inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) firm Harkand has been awarded a multi-million pound contract with Maersk Oil to deliver subsea support services. The contract includes a commissioning support campaign for the Flyndre…
Ship builder Ulstein Verft has released a time lapse video showing the construction of three platform supply vessels of the X-Bow PX121 design. First ordered by Blue Ship Invest, they are currently owned by NAO (Nordic American Offshore)…
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Wintershall a drilling permit for wildcat well 35/8-6 S, in block 35/8 of production license 248. Well 35/8-6 S will be drilled from the Borgland Dolphin drilling facility, a semisubmersible…