As part of the 21st Century Exploration Road Map initiative (21CXRM), the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), in collaboration with the 21CXRM Technical Advisory Committee, has awarded two contracts for petroleum system related studies for the East Shetland Platform and South West Approaches areas…
The UK's Oil & Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC) has helped to secure a plasma generator for the University of Aberdeen thanks to a donation from Saudi Aramco. Through its Aberdeen Technology Office, which specializes in upstream research and technology…
Independent NU-Oil raised raise US$2.56 million (£2.05 million) in new shares to help it with its stranded and marginal field strategy with 50% owned MFDevCo (Marginal Field Development Co.). NU-Oil says its next logical stage being the acquisition of a project…
Israel's Delek Group has made a US$524 million offer for UK independent explorer and producer Ithaca Energy. The offer, a 12% premium on Ithaca's last closing price on the Toronto Stock Exchange, would see Delek take over Ithaca's UK North Sea portfolio…
Oil & Gas UK has launched new guidelines, aimed at simplifying subsea developments. Realizing the potential of the North Sea’s “small pool” reserves could be helped by its guidelines, Oil & Gas UK says. The launch follows a call…
Wintershall is to develop the Skarfjell field in the Norwegian North Sea via a subsea tieback to the nearby Engie-operated Gjøa platform. The Gjøa platform. Image from Engie/Jan Inge Haga. Skarfjell is in the northeastern North Sea…
The Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) is welcoming additional participants to a new joint industry project (JIP) to develop pipeline anchoring and monitoring systems which could mitigate the risk of pipeline walking and cut pipeline anchor installation costs in half…
British subsea companies are expecting to increase overseas activity in the next 12 months, according to a survey conducted by industry body, Subsea UK. Of the 300 member companies surveyed, 27% are predicting increasing exports by 50% or more in 2017…
Newly formed subsea firm M² Subsea has opened its new office in Aberdeen and created 30 jobs. The business, which secured private equity investment towards the end of 2016, has moved people and equipment into premises in Arnhall Business Park at Westhill in Aberdeenshire…
Ocean Installer has recently completed the first permanent subsea installation at the Johan Sverdrup field, marking the kick-off of the Johan Sverdrup offshore work - see video below. The offshore campaign took place late January, in line with project plans and schedule…
Statoil has made a new 20-50 MMboe gas discovery on the Norwegian North Sea Valemon field, at Valemon West. The well was drilled using the jackup rig West Elara, in 133.5m water depth, 160km north-west of Bergen. It is the seventh exploration…
Deep Sea Supply has been awarded extensions of the time charter contracts for the PSVs Sea Flyer and Sea Forth, in addition to a six month (plus options) contract award for the PSV Sea Tantalus for operations in the UK Continental Shelf for Apache North Sea…
Costs have been cut in the industry, but has it been enough? Elaine Maslin looks at ongoing initiatives in the UK North Sea. Photo from iStock. The past two years of pain for the oil and gas industry is well known…
Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA)carried out an audit of Statoil's management of operations and barriers at Gullfaks B in the North Sea that disclosed several safety issues. The audit, carried out from 21 to 29 November 2016,…
Dolphin Drilling has agreed to an extension of its current contract with Chevron North Sea for the semisubmersible Blackford Dolphin in a US$2.6 million deal. The extension covers ongoing operations with Chevron beyond early February…