Chariot rides into Mauritania
Chariot Oil & Gas has contracted a 3,500 sq km 3D seismic survey over Block C19 offshore Mauritania to be carried out by Fugro-Geoteam in water depths ranging 30-2,000m
water depths
Petrobras signs massive deals for 21 super-rigs
In a series of large and complex multi-billion dollars deals, Petrobras appears to have completed the ordering of 21 deepwater drilling rigs, with all units to be built at yards in Brazil with local content said to be in the range 55-65%.
Huge vessel could be sent in for ‘dynamic kill’ of gas leak
One of the biggest vessels operating in the North Sea has been put on standby to try to help plug the gas spewing out of Total's Elgin platform.
Vantage set to acquire ultra-vessel
Vantage Drilling has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the ultra-deepwater drillship Dragonquest from Valencia Drilling in a deal worth some $164million.
Fire ice fuel of the future may lie in the ocean depths west of Shetland
The North Sea could have reserves of a potentially valuable new fuel dubbed "fire ice" - which is tipped to become the world's next major energy resource.
Awilco rig for Fife & Fergus
Hess UK is planning to hire Awilco Drilling's WilPhoenix semisubmersible drilling rig on next year's abandonment campaign on the Fife and Fergus Fields in the UK sector of the North Sea.
Barents Sea hydrographic survey win for Fugro
FUGRO OSAE has been awarded a £1.9million (2.3million euros) hydrographic survey contract by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service (NHS).
Atlantic margin licences awarded
Thirteen Atlantic Margin licences are to be awarded by the Irish Government to a total of 12 companies - including seven new to the region.
Total beats Pazflor schedule
TOTAL has started production from the Pazflor field offshore Angola, ahead of the initial start-up schedule. Pazflor, 150km off Luanda in water depths ranging from 600-1,200m, has estimated proven and probable reserves of 590million barrels of oil.
High-spec jack-up on final leg home following Singapore build
NORTH Atlantic Drilling has taken delivery of a new harsh environment jack-up drilling rig, West Elara, from Jurong Shipyard in Singapore.
Contracts worth $520m for Subsea 7
SUBSEA 7 has secured contracts worth $520million from Chevron, covering work on the Gorgon gas project, offshore Western Australia.
SBM orders super-dive support and construction vessel
SBM Offshore has awarded a contract to Keppel Singmarine shipyard in Singapore, for the detailed design and construction of a large, multipurpose dive support and construction vessel (DSCV).
Noble places $470m order
NOBLE Corporation has exercised two of its four options with Sembcorp Marine's Jurong Shipyard for the construction of heavy duty harsh environment JU3000N-class jack-up drilling rigs.
Deepwater Horizon disaster brings about big changes
Just 10 deepwater exploration wells have been approved by the US authorities since the drilling ban precipitated by the Macondo disaster was lifted in October.
Scarabeo 9 to be late starting Cuban campaign
DELIVERY of the new-build Saipem semi-submersible drilling rig Scarabeo 9 has been further delayed, and the unit is not expected to arrive in Cuban waters to start drilling until the middle of this year.
InterMoor wins Jack/St Malo work
ACTEON'S InterMoor unit has been contracted by Cameron International to design and fabricate 11 suction piles for the Chevron-operated Jack and St Malo fields, in the US sector of the Gulf of Mexico.
IADC calls for ban to be lifted in shallow GoM waters
THE International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) wants a reprieve for drilling operations in the shallow waters of the US Gulf of Mexico. All new drilling in the US Gulf is under a Washington interdiction scheduled to last several weeks due to concerns about why the rig, Deepwater Horizon, caught fire and sank following a drilling-related incident on a BP-operated exploration well.
FMC wins Petrobras subsea tree frame agreement
FMC Technologies has successfully negotiated a four-year subsea tree frame agreement with Petrobras that is expected to deliver as much as $400million in revenues if all the subsea equipment included in the agreement is ordered.
Sevan Marine wins Goliat FPSO project
After protracted negotiations, Sevan Marine has finally sealed the Goliat production-vessel contract with Italian energy major Eni.
First launch of $800m rig series
WHILE most new drilling tonnage is built in East Asia, the US continues to build, too. The first of four $200million Rowan EXL Super 116E jack-up drilling rigs has just kissed the water for the first time at the Keppel AmFELS Yard in Brownsville, Texas.
Caspian gets new drilling capacity
NATIONAL Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has launched its home-built semi-submersible drilling rig, Iran Alborz, at the Sadra Shipyard in Nekkairan, on the Caspian Sea coast. NIOC claimed the rig cost just $80million to build, but that, had it been built abroad, the cost could have been as high as $450million.
China sets out offshore stall
CHINA National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) has launched the first batch of offshore blocks in its 2009 licensing round, with 17 blocks in the South China Sea open to bidding by foreign operators.
Joint venture
Odfjell Drilling of Norway and Metro Exploration (Th. Angellopoulos Group) have teamed up in a joint venture to own a pair of two ultra-deepwater drillships to be delivered from Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea, during Q1 and Q2 2011. The drillships are of Gusto design, and will be equipped for operations in water depths to 3,000m (10,000ft), but are designed to be upgraded for operations in waters as deep as 4,000m. Metro Exploration will retain 60% ownership in the vessels ordered earlier this year from HHI, and Odfjell Drilling will take a 40% stake and be responsible for the construction supervision, marketing and operation of the vessels.
Brazil’s Petrobras gobbles up yet more drilling capacity
BRAZIL'S Petrobras has booked 22 years' worth of work with Transocean that will soak up four of the US group's rigs and bring in revenues estimated at some $3billion. And it has won a further $1billion of work in the US Gulf of Mexico. Rigs to go on long-term hire to Petrobras are the Sedco 707, Sedco 710, Deepwater Navigator and Transocean Driller.
Sevan scores $1.5billion double whammy in Brazil and India
Norwegian company Sevan Marine can press ahead with building two more of its innovative drilling rigs thanks to winning contracts worth more than $1.5billion - one with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) of India, the other with Petrobras of Brazil.