US oilfield services giant Weatherford has joined its big three competitors in announcing a headcount reduction amounting to thousands as the industry faces cut backs into 2015. Weatherford says it is targeting a 5000 cut in staff, more than 85% of which will be in the Western Hemisphere…
Gas has been found in great quantities offshore East Africa. What will be the challenges around getting it to shore? Alex Hunt takes a look. The East African coastline. Image from the GRID-Arendal Continental Shelf Programme…
A three phase asset management strategy could help counter costs, says ABB’s Will Leonard. In mid-December, the price of oil fell further after the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast weaker demand in 2015. Brent crude fell to around US$60 a barrel…
Kuwait Petroleum Corp.'s (KPC) CEO today said the company would be increasing output, a move he says will put pressure on deepwater projects as well as the likes of onshore oil sands and expensive unconventional projects. Nizar Al-Adsani said the market…
Oil and gas industry sentiment in the UK plunged dramatically in Q4 2014, according to the results of a survey published today. Oil & Gas UK’s Business Sentiment Survey says optimism in the oil and gas industry fell 16 points to -23 points on a -50/+50 scale…
Voluntary oil production cuts to support oil prices have been ruled out in favor of a brutal process of natural selection to correct the market. The most efficient producers will be left standing as growth slows and companies cut capital budgets and reduce headcounts…
With oil prices depressed, Greg Hale argues that automation could make a much needed difference in the offshore industry. The scenario is set and it is time for everything to play out: automation can come to the rescue of the offshore oil and gas industry…
Petrobras CEO Maria das Gracas Foster and five directors stepped down from their posts on Wednesday (4 February) following months of scandals. Gracas Foster has been at the helm of the national operator since 2012, and spent over 30 years with Petrobras…
Orderbooks reflect reined-in spending based on conservative near-term oil price estimates. ABS’ James Graf sets out the detail. MODU new construction projects through 4Q/14. Source: ABS. Weak demand…
Super major Shell is curtailing its spending by more than US$15 billion over the next three years and has futher options to reduce spending, the supermajor announced this morning, citing the dramatic, nearly 60% drop in oil prices over the past six months…
Over supply of oil, diminishing returns and an increasing rig fleet will challenge rig operators in 2015. Rystad Energy’s Joachim Bjørni and Oddmund Føre look for a ray of light. Graphs from Rystad. Throughout 2014…
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions’ (Trelleborg) new website, the Knowledge Center, will showcase best practice in sealing technology and aim to bridge the gap between design engineers’ needs and standard technology documentation, bringing useful information together as part of one digital portal…
US$75-80 barrel oil price will be the new norm, industry commentators predicted Tuesday morning. But how long it will take to get there is the greatest uncertainty. Elaine Maslin reports. Uncertainty around how long oil prices will remain around US$50/bbl and…
New York-headquartered Hess says it is cutting its 2015 capital and exploration budget by 16%, compared to 2014, to US$4.7 billion. While the firm said most of the cash (45%/$2.1 billion) would be spent on its unconventional shale resources…
With Mexican oil open to private investment for the first time, the country’s initial bidding round is expected to remain competitive despite low oil prices, delays and a number of uncertainties, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData…