Aberdeen supply-chain outfit opens Stavanger office
GLOBAL Supply Chain Solutions of Aberdeen has opened new offices in Stavanger, Norway.
GE Oil & Gas shows off new low-profile subsea tree at OE ’09
GE OIL & Gas has launched a new lightweight subsea tree that the company believes will set a new benchmark, initially in the shallower parts of the North Sea where field life tends to be short and development costs relatively high compared with other parts of the world.
Brazil’s rig-building forges ahead
BRAZIL'S plan to build/complete a large number of rigs in-country for use by Petrobras has moved on apace since Energy last reported on the topic in August.
Count creeps towards 2004 tally
The number of mobile rigs active on UKCS E&A drilling remains at 10 units, with one platform-based appraisal also ongoing.
LED fibre illumination tool to be trialled
A new energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) fibre illumination technology for lighting up to 100m (328ft) of fibre-optic cables is being put through its paces at The Underwater Centre in Fort William.
ITF and OTM offering technology mapping tool
THE Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) and OTM Consulting have teamed up to jointly develop a new technology mapping capability.
North Sea emergency response
The UK's fleet of oil&gas industry emergency-response and rescue vessels claims to have taken crew training and exercise activity to new heights following the introduction of new HSE guidelines.
Hydrocarbons hunt heating up
With a large gas field just located offshore Ghana by GNPC, with Vitol, and a promising oil discovery made offshore Sierra Leone by Anadarko with Tullow Oil, Woodside and Repsol in tow, excitement is growing that a major new boom is about to burst offshore West Africa.
CUT in North Sea decommissioning carve-up
UK COMPANY Cutting Underwater Technologies (CUT) has just completed what is described as ground-breaking decommissioning work on North West Hutton, a redundant North Sea platform.
Deepwater consultancy a world first
A group of 20 of the world's most experienced deepwater wells professionals have joined forces to create what is billed as the first drilling consultancy anywhere to specialise solely in deepwater projects.
Caught fast in the petroleum vice?
Turn on the box or radio and, just now, you will find it hard to escape reportage on the environment, especially last month's UN conference on climate change in New York. This event is basically the precursor to the Copenhagen summit at the end of the year and already the heavyweights are sparring, with both China and India stealing a march on the gas-guzzling US.
Actions, not words, are what will count
The UN Climate Change Conference, to be held in Copenhagen two months from now, is an event of massive significance for the whole world. Decisions taken, or not taken, will have a profound influence on how the greatest challenge of the 21st century is addressed.
Glass more than half full for Asfari
One of the outcomes of Offshore Europe 2009 is an acceptance that life in the oil patch is not so miserable after all; the glass is at least half full - even in the North Sea.
Next Generation speakers spell it out
There was significant emphasis on nurturing the next generation of energy specialists at Offshore Europe 2009 last month. One of the highlights was a breakfast at which members of Oil & Gas UK's Next Generation Task Group presented two proposals to business leaders and the industry at the Dragons' Den-style breakfast briefing.
Weatherford International gets green light
WEATHERFORD International has become the first global oil services company to secure OPITO - The Oil & Gas Academy approval for worldwide delivery of its competence assessors training course.
Corroding caissons a costly problem
Corrosion of caisson steelwork appears to be a major problem on many North Sea platforms, according to research by integrity, inspection and corrosion specialist iicorr of Aberdeen.
Falklands campaign close to kick-off
Desire Petroleum has committed to a letter of intent with Diamond Offshore Drilling that should see the semi-submersible drilling rig, Ocean Guardian, leave the North Sea shortly and head for the South Atlantic to drill a minimum of four wells in the North Falkland Basin.
Subsea 7’s next-generation life-of-field ship christened
Normand Subsea, a state-of-the-art dynamically-positioned life-of-field vessel specifically designed for inspection, repair and maintenance work, will shortly start work in the North Sea.
Pelamis and MCT win crucial cash
The UK's Carbon Trust is to support two cutting-edge marine energy devices in a bid to accelerate the commercial development of wave and tidal energy in Britain.
Saltire proving a fine investment for Fugro
JUST a year has passed since the 111m Fugro Saltire entered service and already the ship has more than proved herself as a versatile work platform and attracted a keen market following.
Online utility IT the future for oil&gas
IN THE 150 years since the first "modern" well was drilled at Titusville, Pennsylvania, in the US, oil&gas extraction has become the largest natural resources industry in the world.
Marine Energy Group calls for much stronger support
THE Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) is calling for much more support to encourage the development of marine renewables.
Service opportunities in downturn
The good times of early to mid-2008, when most oil companies were benefiting from the seemingly relentless rise in oil prices, are now a distant memory for many.
Host of global prizes to pitch for
For the last few years, we have produced forecasts of worldwide oil&gas production and expenditure for Scottish Enterprise's Energy Team in Aberdeen for its regular Spends and Trends series of reports, which I believe provide a valuable market-research tool for the supply chain.
Will Angola supplant Nigeria as oil leader?
Recent data on the oil&gas sector in sub-Saharan Africa indicates that Angola is overtaking Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil producer.