The Mariner heavy oil discovery on the East Shetland Platform in UK block 9/11 will be one of the largest offshore developments on the UK Continental Shelf in more than a decade. Meg Chesshyre checks on its progress. Chris…
Flow measurement isn’t always foremost in industry debates, but the role it plays – and getting it right – is key. Elaine Maslin found out more. NEL’s flow measurement facility. Image from NEL…
Resonance enhanced drilling could help speed up drilling time and efficiency. Elaine Maslin reports. Professor Marian Wiercigroch with the vertical RED full scale experimental rig. Images from the University of Aberdeen…
Will subsea tech join fracking slowdown? There may be too much momentum. Bruce Nichols reports. Testing for Train 2 of the Asgard subsea compression system was completed in December at Aker Solutions’ dockside yard in Egersund…
Is the oil industry good at lessons learned but not at learning lessons? – asks Jan-Erik Nordtvedt, SPE Intelligent Energy program committee chair 2014 and President and CEO, Epsis Almost a year has passed since the SPE Intelligent Energy 2014 conference…
Getting engineering back to basics isn’t just about standardization anymore. Industry executives at the annual GE Oil & Gas summit in Florence advocated for simplicity in order to keep costs low and get projects done right. Elaine Maslin reports…
Greg Hale takes a look at subsea electronic modules. “Doom and gloom,” and “scaling back” are phrases not heard in the industry in the last five years. But, now there is an opportunity to wring more productivity and profitability out of existing assets…
Dutch contractor Allseas last night (26 February) signed a contract with Norway's Statoil for the installation of three platforms on the giant Johan Sverdrup development in single lifts using the newly renamed mega-vessel Pioneering Spirit…
The board of Oil & Gas UK has appointed Deirdre Michie as the organization’s new Chief Executive. Deirdre Michie will take up her position from 1 May 2015, replacing the current Chief Executive Malcolm Webb who formally retires on 31 May 2015…
Scottish tidal turbine developer Nautricity secured a grid connected tidal test berth at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), following successful sea trials at EMEC’s non-grid connected site last year. In 2014, Nautricity tested…
Statoil has chosen UK-based oilfield support services firm Asco for its supply base and warehousing services on the UK North Sea Mariner field. The contract comes under two five-year contracts, with extension options, due to start in Q1 2016…
Scotland’s first wave energy technology development body Wave Energy Scotland will receive a total of £14.3 million over the next 13 months, Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing announced. The Scottish Government is supporting Wave Energy Scotland with a budget of £1…
The UK’s new offshore oil and gas regulator is to require the top 20 North Sea operators by volume to present stewardship plans by April, as part of a string of actions to turnaround the industry published yesterday (25 February). Stewardship…
Statoil and Rocksource entered into a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) for the PL 602 license in the Norwegian Sea, in which Statoil will acquire Rocksource’s 10% interest. PL 602 is located immediately west of Statoil’s Aasta Hansteen…
First production from the Greater Stella Area development in the UK North Sea has hit a further set back as delays continue on the project's floating production facility. Operator Ithaca Energy said the rate of progress of modifications…