Compact Azipod units promise the means of producing more efficient thrust for drilling vessels, saving fuel cost and cutting emissions. OE hears from developer ABB Marine.Bunker prices for the IFO380 grade fuel used by the majority of ships were on the rise at time of writing…
Prosafe’s newest rival in the flotel market is Swedish company Floatel International, established by Bassoe Offshore and management in Gothenburg in late 2006 and run by an experienced management team comprising personnel from Consafe Offshore…
The importance of battery selection for demanding downhole electronics applications, in particular measurement-while-drilling tools, is discussed by Saft’s Wayne Pitt.As oil companies strive to reap the maximum potential from their prospects…
Japan Drilling Company’s semisubmersible drilling rig Hakuryu-5 was recently upgraded with Exmar Offshore’s Deepdish pontoon sponson, an innovative combination of pontoon sponsons and integrated cross bracing designed to increase the capabilities and operating life of ageing rigs…
Rotary steerable successBaker Hughes deployed its AutoTrak rotary steerable system to successfully drill four directional wells in the Gulf of Mexico’s South Timbalier area, including one well that reached total depth nearly five days ahead of schedule…
A small test offshore Norway could spark a new flame of interest in offshore electromagnetic survey (EM) technology. Andrew McBarnet explains.Last year you could sense the despondency affecting the two principal proponents of marine controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) surveys…
‘Innovation Now’ was the over arching theme of the 11th GE Oil & Gas annual meeting held in Florence early February.Meg Chesshyre was among the 930 industry attendees from 69 countries.--GE Oil & Gas’ Drilling & Production division confirmed…
Shortening the data commuteDynamic Drilling Systems (DDS) is gearing up to begin production of its new Apollo Dart drilling software, which will be able to provide data within milliseconds, the company’s president Bob Sage announced during the recent IADC/SPE drilling conference in New Orleans…
Banking on customer desire for a round floater that offers drilling, storage, and/or production along with dry tree capabilities, SSP Offshore has made its SSP320+ Plus design ready for the market. Jennifer Pallanich looks at the latest refinements…
Paal Kibsgaard has been appointed COO of Schlumberger, taking responsibility for the dayto- day management of all the company’s worldwide operations in addition to its technology organization, including engineering, manufacturing and product development…
With industry interest reawakened by recent deepwater, sub-salt gas finds offshore Israel, the eastern Mediterranean and Levantine Basin today loom large on the frontier exploration agenda. Here, Øystein Lie, Thore Sortemos and Per Helge Semb…
With an offshore network of over 7000 production platforms, 180,000km of pipelines and 40,000 producer wells already installed, the global offshore operations & maintenance market could be worth more than $330 billion over the next five years - and…
Offshore Arctic seismic exploration is not getting quite such a cold reception these days. Andrew McBarnet explains why.Frozen assets take on a whole new meaning when it comes to considering the purportedly huge oil and gas reserves in the Arctic Ocean region…
Over the last few years, Baker Hughes has invested heavily in technology R&D and the infrastructure to support the search for innovative technologies. At the same time, 2009 saw the service company change the way it endeavors to provide technology solutions to its clients…
Drilling has long led the industry when it comes to technology, leaving completions with a need to catch up. During the IADC's Completions Conference – the first one the International Drilling Contractors Association has organized devoted solely…