Total E&P announced today that its Saphir-1XB exploration well on Block CI-514 tested light oil in deep water off Africa's Ivory Coast. “Drilled in an abrupt margin play, this first well is the first discovery in the San Pedro Basin…
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…
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…
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…
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…
A new design for nuclear plants built on floating platforms, modeled after those used in the offshore oil and gas industry, has been created by professors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They say such a design could help avoid the disaster at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant…
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…
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…
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…
On 2 Jan 2014, Divetech Marine announced the successful underwater and surface reinstallation of six Rolls-Royce azimuth thrusters on Transocean's Deepwater Millennium drillship in Singapore. Divers and coordinators from Divetech Marine…
Aker Solutions’ former well intervention services business, which was acquired by private equity fund EQT VI in January this year, has been restructured and will operate under two brands from 22 Apr 2014: Altus Intervention and Qinterra Technologies…
A lot has changed for Statoil in the past four years. In 2010, the company had two core exploration areas (the Norwegian Continental Shelf and the US Gulf of Mexico), said Jez Averty, Senior Vice President of Exploration for Statoil, North America…
The US Energy Information Administration’s new “Today in Energy” brief looks at how US oil imports were down in 2013, but the share of imports last year from the United States' top three foreign oil suppliers—Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico—was the highest in at least four decades…
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…
Infield analyst Edward Richardson examines whether the newbuild rig market is heading for deeper waters. History shows us that when oil prices are high operators seek to expedite the development of existing reserves and prove up additional resources…