SeaBird Exploration wins North Sea exploration contract
SeaBird Exploration has signed an agreement to supply one source vessel for an upcoming survey in North West Europe.
exploration
OGA awards Scots University £250,000 for North Sea exploration studies
The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has handed a Scottish university £250,000 for exploration studies in the North Sea.
Statoil gets permit for drilling of wildcat well
Statoil has been granted a permit by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) for the drilling of a wildcat well.
Italian vote fails to stop drilling extension
A vote in Italy to curtail the duration of existing drilling concessions in territorial workers has failed.
NPD issues rallying call for more exploration
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has issued a rallying cry for more exploration to recover resources.
Trinity agrees further extension for repayments
Trinity said the company has agreed a further extension to its moratorium on principal repayments.
Falkland Islands seeks clarification over UN maritime territory ruling
The government of the Falkland Islands is concerned about a decision by a United Nations commission to expand Argentina’s maritime territory.
Oil explorers return to parking rigs as supplies build
Explorers once again idled drilling rigs in US. oilfields as crude inventories continue climbing, boosted by a surge in imports.
Explorers lay up rigs as world looks for shale cuts
Explorers parked more drilling rigs in US oilfields as the rest of the world looks to shale producers to arrest the worst crude downturn in 30 years with more cutbacks.
Lundin Petroleum commences drilling on Lorry Prospect
Lundin Petroleum has commenced drilling of an exploration well on the Lorry Prospect. The company said well 6407/10-4 will explore the Lorry prospect in PL700, located on the northern part of the Froya High in the Norwegian Sea. The well is 17km northeast of the VNG Norge operated Pil and Bue discoveries in the Halten Terrace.
Faroe Petroleum increases production estimate, expects lower exploration costs
Faroe Petroleum has made an upward revision of its production guidance for the year rising from a 9,550 to 10,500 average barrels of oil per day. The company said its exploration and appraisal programme for the next year will continue with one frontier well in the Barents Sea and two other field exploration wells, one in the Norwegian North Sea and the other in the Norwegian Sea. Exploration costs are also expected to be “significantly lower” next year than in 2015.
Trinity E&P chief executive resigns
Trinity Exploration & Production said its chief executive has resigned from the company. The firm said it comes after the pending divestment of nearly all of the company’s onshore assets. Joel Pemberton’s resignation was accepted by the board of directors, effective December 31st this year.
Hibiscus Petroleum to spud Sea Lion-1 well later this month
Hibiscus Petroleum said the West Telesto drilling rig has been demobilised from its previous assignment and will be handed to its subsidiary next week. The spud date for the Carnarvon Hibiscus Ltd (CHPL) operated Sea Lion-1 exploration well is expected by October 25th with the overall programme expected to take up to 30 days.
Lundin resumes spudding of Malaysian exploration well
Lundin Petroleum has resumed drilling in Malaysia with the spud of the Mengjuang-1 exploration well in licence PM307. The company's subsidiary, Lundin Malaysia, said the well will target hydrocarbons in Miocence-aged sands 75kilmoetres from the Bertam field.
Sea Lion-1 exploration well faces further delays
The Sea Lion-1 exploration well is facing further delays due to continued weather conditions preventing the handover of the West Telesto rig from its current operator. Hibiscus Petroleum is currently awaiting handover of the jack-up from Origin Energy in the Gippland basin. 3D Oil said the hold-up was not at the material expense of the joint venture and was also not due to the performance of the rig or other operational factors.
Total abandons exploration work despite gas discovery
Total has abandoned exploration work at its shale well in Denmark despite a gas discovery. The French oil major said the thickness of the layer at the Vendsyssel-1 well in the northwest of the country had been thinner than expected.
Sea Lion-1 exploration well on track
3D Oil said the Sea Lion-1 exploration well is now expected to spud late August. The company said the West Telsto jack-up drilling rig has been contracted by Vic/P57 in a joint venture with Carnarvon Hibiscus as operator to drill the well.
Sound Oil granted approval for Italian exploration well
Sound Oil has gained approval of its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Badile exploration well in Italy. The drilling authorisation from the Italian Ministry of Economic Development is expected to follow with the endorsement of the Lombardy Region. The approval of the European and Mediterranean focused oil and gas company’s application will allow it to prepare for the forthcoming exploration well.
Repsol pulls out of Canary Island exploration
Spanish oil company Repsol has called off exploratory drilling in the sea around the Canary Islands. It said a discovery of oil and gas had been found but in water-logged subsoil and in small quantities. Around 750 professionals, some based in the Canary Islands, worked on the research project.
Statoil, GDF Suez and Dong Energy drop Greenland exploration
A trio of energy companies have handed back exploration permits for drilling in Western Greenland amidst the fall in oil prices. It has emerged that Statoil, GDF Suez and Dong Energy have decided against exploring in the region. John Finborud, director of GDF Suez Greenland, said the current drop in prices and increase in production expense meant the costs were too high.
Shell eyes further exploration in French Guiana
Wessex Exploration has revealed plans regarding an application for a new drilling permit in French Guiana's deep offshore licence area. The company already owns a share in a drilling permit in Guyane Maritime alongside oil major Shell, which owns a 45% stake, and other partners including Total, Tullow and Northern Petroleum. In a results report Wessex Petroleum said discussions were ongoing between partners regarding application for a new drilling permit in the region.
Statoil abandons wildcat wells
Statoil has abandoned its wild cat well in the Gulf of Mexico after if failed uncover any commercial returns.