The US Department of the Treasury issued sanctions against seven Russian government officials and 17 entities on 28 April. Among those officials listed was OAO Rosneft President and Chairman of the Management Board Igor Sechin. These…
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…
Singapore-based shipowner and operator, Swire Pacific Offshore Operations (Pte) Ltd. (SPO) celebrated the launch of its new D-Class anchor-handling tug supply vessel, Pacific Dragon, on 18 Apr 2014. This is the eighth and final D-Class vessel…
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…
PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Ltd. (PTTEP) will acquire 100% equity stakes of Hess Corp in Thailand for US$1 billion. The details of the transaction are as follows: Own 15% interest in block B12/27 (mainly in Pailin…
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the US Department of Commerce, announced yesterday the start of the 2014 hydrographic survey season. New data collected will increase coastal environmental intelligence around the country…
Baker Hughes has announced its weekly rig count for the US and Canada. US: The US Rig Count is unchanged from last week at 1831, with oil rigs down 7 to 1510, gas rigs up 6 to 316, and miscellaneous rigs up 1 to 5. US Rig Count increased by 73 rigs from last year to 1758…
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 Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's Alaska region director Mark Fesmire participated in a panel discussion yesterday (April 17) in Washington, D.C. on applying lessons learned for drilling in the Arctic. During the discussion…
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…
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…
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 Prelude FLNG subsea architecture, supported by traditional mudmats. image source: Shell. Mobile foundation technology could offer an economic solution to some stranded offshore hydrocarbon reserves…
Total and its partners are to move ahead with the 650MM bbl, deepwater Kaombo project offshore Angola after cutting US$4 billion from the capex costs on the project. Kaombo will develop six of 12 discoveries made in Block 32, covering 800sq km…
Marine geophysical company Polarcus completed a 3000sq km 3D sesmic survey in license area EL 0037 in the Walvis basin offshore Namibia for operator Tullow Oil. A second 2D acquisition phase has now started. It will cover approximately 1000km and will take about two weeks to complete…