Hurricane Energy plc announced that the Lancaster horizontal appraisal well was spudded on 26 April 2014. The firm is using the Transocean Sedco 712 semi-submersible drilling rig for the operation which is intended to drill and test the Lancaster basement oil discovery…
In early April, Rosneft and ExxonMobil began aerial gravity-magnetic surveys over offshore blocks in the Yuzhno-Chukotsky licence area in the eastern Russian Arctic to establish the subsurface structure of the field. As part of a framework agreement…
UK-based Africa and Celtic Sea-focused explorer Fastnet Oil & Gas has farmed out a 9.375% interest in the Foum Assaka license, offshore Morocco, to SK Innovation, the energy and chemicals affiliate of SK Group, South Korea's third largest conglomerate…
Two of the major deepwater developments that have started production so far in the Gulf of Mexico belong to Shell and BP. Sarah Parker Musarra examines the technology behind two mammoth projects: Mars B and Na Kika. In Greek and Polynesian mythology…
The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) has launched the country's 7th North Sea Licensing Round, covering the Central Graben, where the majority of Danish fields have so far been discovered, and areas further to the east, where oil discoveries were made in the 6th Licensing Round…
Octanex N.L. announced that OMV New Zealand Ltd. has completed the planned 2D seismic survey, named Mohua, in the Taranaki basin off New Zealand. OMV has confirmed the survey vessel, Aquila Explorer, commenced acquisition of the Mohua survey on 19 April…
Dubai-based rig and platform builder Lamprell has set an official Guinness World Record for the heaviest load moved by self-propelled modular trailers (SPMTs) as part of the Golden Eagle platform project (pictured). Lamprell’s contract was for a production…
Repsol Exploration (Namibia) has started drilling operations on the deepwater Welwitschia-1 prospect in Walvis Bay, offshore Namibia, this week, according to partner Tower Resources, via its Neptune Petroleum (Namibia) subsidiary. The well was spudded on April 24…
A 6th generation DP semisubmersible, Pemex's Centenario GR is capable of drilling in 3000m water depth. More than 85% of the rigs working offshore Mexico are classed by ABS. image source: Grupo R After 75 years of monopoly…
The Dolphin Geophysical seismic vessel, Artemis Atlantic, is currently acquiring 1500km of 2D seismic data in Blocks 1, 2 and 3 of Area 3 north of Malta. Malta's Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Joe Mizzi, visited the vessel while it was berthed at Valletta Harbour…
Noble Energy Inc. announced that it will propose the election of the company’s President and COO, David L. Stover as a director at its 22 April 2014 organizational meeting, and that it intends to appoint Stover as CEO in October 2014. This decision follows current Chairman and CEO…
Statoil has signed an agreement to farm down a 15% interest in WRG Angola Block 39 Ltd. offshore Angola in the Kwanza pre-salt basin. WRG is a 50/50 joint venture comprising White Rose Energy Ventures and Genel Energy plc. Statoil is operator of the block…
Dragon Oil says drilling on the Cheleken Contract Area in Turkmenistan has been delayed and will be weighted towards H2 this year, with a total 14-16 wells due to be drilled. The Cheleken Contract Area covers about 950sq km and comprises two offshore oil and gas fields…
A third well is now producing in the Sapinhoá field, Petrobras announced, in keeping with the target date given when its preceding well was brought onstream in February. Well 7-SPH-04-SPS, which lays in 2120m of water on Block BM-S-9 of the Santos basin presalt region…
US rakes in $850million for lease sale The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) received 380 bids for 326blocks in the central Gulf of Mexico, totaling more than US $850 million. Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 231 attracted operators to bison almost 40 million acres…