Oil services giant Schlumberger posted more than a US$1 billion loss in its Q4 and full year 2015 results, in addition to a further 10,000 job cuts, bringing its workforce reduction to some 30,000 for the year. Kibsgaard…
Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to cut production to maintain its share of the global crude market has paid off. By not “blinking first”, the Kingdom has succeeded in driving rigs out of the US shale market with current rotary rig counts down 65% from 2014 highs in September…
Two Israeli firms are eying a multi-trillion cubic feet deepwater gas field offshore Israel. According to a resource report by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, the Og field lower sand contains 8.84 Tcf best estimate, unrisked gross prospective…
Norway's latest awards in predefined areas (APA) license round has been hailed a success with some 56 exploration licenses being offered on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The APA rounds offer acreage in known areas on the shelf, rather than frontier acreage…
Sanctions on Iran’s oil production are set to be lifted as early as this weekend that will mark the end of the country’s nuclear program and pave the way for Western nations to re-enter Iranian territory for oil exploration and production…
Statoil awarded IKM Ocean Design a contract worth an estimated US$22.5 million (NOK 200 million) for the Johan Castberg subsea integration pre-FEED and FEED project. Image of the contract signing in Oslo of Peder Hoås and Geir Paulsen…
Protea has completed the manufacture of a comprehensive crane package for an FSO (floating, storage, and offloading) that will be chartered by Total for operation at the Martin Linge offshore development. Comprising of two deck cranes…
Polarcus has gained full support from key stakeholders to move forward with the restructuring of the company in an effort to reduce its debt. The Polarcus Nadia. Image courtesy of Polarcus. Key…
Some US$380 billion worth of upstream oil and gas projects have been put on hold as a result of the fall in oil prices, according to new research by analysts Wood Mackenzie. The Edinburgh based firm says the last six months of 2015 saw…
From an oil industry perspective it's difficult to find anything positive to say about 2015 other than I'm glad it's come to an end. Colin Welsh. Image courtesy of Simmons & Co. I certainly didn't see $35 Brent crude coming…
Despite an ample supply of oil and gas assets on the market due to low oil prices, the overall merger and acquisition (M&A) deal count in the upstream energy sector plunged in 2015 as the weakness and volatility in oil prices made it difficult…
Oil firm BP has started returning staff to its Valhall complex after evacuating the facility when an adrift barge started drifting towards it as fierce weather continued to wreak havoc across the UK and Norway. ConocoPhillips had also downmanned its Eldfisk platform earlier today…
Fugro will conduct survey services at a deepwater field development offshore Guyana for ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana, the geophysical service company announced on 22 December. The contract provides for autonomous…
Lundin Petroleum has discovered oil at the Rolvsnes exploration well 16/1-25 S in PL338C, in the central North Sea sector of the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), the company confirmed on 22 December. Lundin said the well encountered a 30m gross oil column in porous granitic basement…
Petroceltic has opted to exit stakes in Greece and Egypt, following an announcement by the company's board that it has initiated a formal strategtic review of its business and assets due to breaching debt repayment obligations. In the 23 December announcement…