How Ocean Odyssey was almost the UK’s second Piper Alpha
On September 22, 1988, just over two months after the Piper Alpha disaster that killed 167 offshore workers, the rig Ocean Odyssey came within a hair's breadth of being blown to pieces.
UK Continental Shelf enjoying ‘Indian summer’
With spending running at record levels and a string of sizeable greenfield developments now under way, the UK Continental Shelf can truly be said to be enjoying an "Indian summer".
Farstad orders further vessel from Vard
Farstad Shipping has ordered a subsea/IMR vessel from Vard, though the hull will be built outwith Noway at Vard's Tulcea yard in Romania and then towed to the Langsten yard at Tomrefjord for fitting out.
NE Greenland survey under way
TGS has started expansion of a 2D multi-client survey offshore north-east Greenland. The survey, NEG13, will enable clients to prepare for the next Greenland licensing round late this year or sometime next.
Woodside chooses FLNG for Browse
Woodside intends to use floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) technology to develop its three Browse Basin gas fields offshore Australia.
Granite City climbs the league of oil and gas centres
To help put a scale on the boom that was by now gripping Aberdeen, filling its bars, hotels and bed and breakfasts to capacity, some 500 companies had arrived in the city over the period 1970-77.
Learning lessons for the future
So where next for Offshore Europe as Stott battled to anchor it solidly in a small seaport so far away from just about anywhere and best known for fish than anything else?
The 1970s – A new dawn
Industrial estate planning progressed and Aberdeen harbour saw the occasional oil support vessel. Back then, drillships were small enough to get into the port too.
Jeremy Cresswell: Super Pumas forced to ground as inquiry starts
With four serious Super Puma incidents since April 1, 2009, the latest resulting in four deaths, the UK offshore industry has recommended the grounding of all Eurocopter Super Puma aircraft – not just the L2 variant at the centre of Friday’s crash.
Setting the stage for world class acts
Forty years ago, the North Sea was a mere stripling of an energy province; no one had a clue how much oil and gas was out there, except that sceptics said it would all be over in a decade.
Riding on a wave of prosperity
Offshore Scotland was a success; so where to next? Founder David Stott’s ambition was to grow the show; but how? More tents at Aberdeen University in March were not the way forward.
Slumbering Granite City in decline
Aberdeen in the mid-1960s was seen as a city in decline; a state of affairs witnessed by Energy’s editor, then just into long trousers.
Jeremy Cresswell: We want answers over latest Super Puma failure
Yes, another Eurocopter aircraft has suffered a major failure – the third in less than two years and, I think, the fourth Puma to have gone down since April 2009.
Jeremy Cresswell: From Premier’s pick to Christmas for Falklands taxman
It was a given that Sea Lion would be developed using a floating production system; the surprise was that Premier currently favours using what is called a tension leg platform.
Jeremy Cresswell: Egypt … like a slow-mo and terrifying implosion
I’ve been watching the latest TV news reports from Egypt. It seems to me that an exceedingly terrifying, slow-motion implosion is taking place. And it started long before Muhammed Morsi came to power through an apparently democratic election following the January 25 revolution of 2011.
Jeremy Cresswell: Will Antrim become next minnow to fall?
Is the oil and gas exploration minnow Antrim about to croak? Read the notes of yesterday’s result statement and you will find that the company itself admits to “significant doubts” about its ability to continue trading.
AGR gets Australia well deal
AGR has been awarded a contract to provide project management services to Hunt Oil for the drilling of one exploration well on permit WA-425-P offshore north-west Australia.
Volstad orders $130million construction ship
Privately-owned Norwegian company Volstad Shipping has signed a contract with Tersan Shipyard in Turkey for the build of a subsea IMR (inspection, repair, maintenance) and construction vessel.
Mexico orders 13th jack-up from Keppel FELS
Keppel FELS is to build a jack-up for Mexican drilling company Grupo R for $206million with delivery in Q4 2015.
Strong case for co-location of wind turbines and solar panels emerging
Solar and wind power generation complement each other better than had been previously thought, according to fresh research by the Reiner Lemoine Institut in Berlin and German knowledge services provider to the renewables industry, Solarpraxis.
Scots firm taking renewables into classroom
A new education programme teaching kids about renewable energy is launching in the UK.
Prospector bags more long-term work for new jack-ups with Total
Total has booked Prospector Offshore Drilling's Prospector 5 jack-up rig, which is currently being built in the Far East.
Twin Axe deliveries for MCS
Maritime Craft Services (Clyde) has taken delivery of three more Damen Twin Axe windfarm support vessels and expects two more to arrive this month.
Kongsberg to supply drillship packs
CIMC Yantai Raffles in China and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding of Korea have contracted Kongsberg of Norway to supply an array of dynamic positioning (DP), automation, new generation safety, integrated navigation, hydroacoustic positioning and latest riser management systems for two new-build Frigstad D90 drilling rigs and a Bassoe Technology BT-UDS class drillship.
Helix plans to build Q7000
Houston-based deepwater well intervention firm, Helix Energy Solutions has announced their plans to build the Q7000, its second new-build semi-submersible well intervention vessel.