Noble Corporation has ordered a new harsh-environment jack-up rig it is to deploy in the North Sea from 2015. The new unit, based on the Gusto MSC CJ70 design and meeting an enhanced version of Norwegian oil firm Statoil's 'Cat J' specifications…
Statoil, together with partners in the Grane Unit, has made a new oil discovery in the vicinity of the Grane field in the North Sea. Statoil and its partners are in the process of concluding drilling operations in exploration well 25/11-27 in the Grane Unit…
Drilling and engineering contractor KCA Deutag has picked up three drilling operation and maintenance contracts for work in the North Sea with operators Total E&P UK, EnQuest and CNR International (CNRI). The contracts with Total E&P…
Noble Energy is to start drilling on Aphrodite 2 offshore Cyprus in the next two weeks, according to partners on the project. Delek Group, whose subsidiaries Delek Drilling and Avner are partners on Aphrodite in Block 12, said the work…
Houston-based National Oilwell Varco (NOV) is to pay $2.5 billion for Robbins & Myers – a supplier of well-drilling equipment parts, including valve controls and grinders – adding three more businesses to its NOV Mono division: Moyno Inc…
US-based Bluefin Robotic successfully tested its unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in deepwater conditions, the company announced last month. Bluefin tested the UUV off Massachusetts with the Scarlett Isabella vessel…
Aberdeen-based Senergy Software rolled out a followup to its geosciences-specific Oilfield Data Manager 3.8 (ODMTM) software. Version 3.8 features an improved user interface and comes equipped with new heatmap and analysis sticks features…
Norwegian technology supplier Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies AS released its new LedaFlow 1.3 transient multiphase simulator for wells and pipelines in March. The software offers new functions such as a separator model, bypass pigging capabilities…
TDW Offshore Services released its SmartTrack remote tracking and pressure-monitoring system to the global marketplace. The proprietary system, which received full ATEX certification for use in Zone 1 hazardous locations from DNV, was used…
Vikoma International Ltd., an oil pollution and environmental technology firm that is part of Energy Environmental Group, launched the OPRS 300 oil pollution recovery system last month. The OPRS 300’s patented discs attract oil…
Chevron awarded Wärtsilä a contract to supply a direct electric heating (DEH) system for the company's US$2 billion Lianzi offshore development project, located off Congo and Angola, West Africa. Wärtsilä will deliver the topside modules to be installed on the platform…
Norwegian oil giant Statoil has increased its holdings off east Africa after acquiring a 12% working interest in a licence offshore Tanzania from Petrobras. The stake in Block 6 covers 5549sq km in the Mafia basin, with water depths of 1800m…
Petroceltic International has said the first of a four-well campaign in the Black Sea is to be plugged and abandoned after finding sub-commercial gas shows. The Kamchia-1 exploration well, in the Galata concession offshore Bulgaria,…
UK North Sea spending on well services has reached an all time high, according to a survey by industry body Oil & Gas UK. Its well well services sector report, based on a survey carried out since 1996, showed companies delivering drilling…
IKM Consultants has taken over Poseidon Consulting Services (PCS) after buying 100% of its shares from Siemens in Norway. Poseidon, which mainly focusses on subsea and pipeline work, has about 150 staff, which will be taken in to IKM's business…