Buccaneer Energy has agreed to acquire the two main productive leases in the former Cosmopolitan Unit (Cosmo) from Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. has contracted the newbuild ENSCO 8506 ultra-deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig to work in the US Gulf of Mexico for 30 months at a day rate of $530,000, plus adjustments.

The Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) has approved conditionally Shell’s Revised Chukchi Sea Exploration Plan set to begin this year.

A Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. subsidiary has contracted Keppel AmFELS to build a moored semisubmersible drilling rig using an existing hull from Diamond’s cold-stacked Ocean Voyager.

McMoRan Exploration continues to build on its successes in its shallow-water, ultra-deep gas play in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cobalt International Energy Inc. says that the Ensco 8503 drilling rig, contracted to Cobalt, has returned to the US Gulf of Mexico following a sublet of the rig to drill a well in French Guiana.

Kenai Offshore Ventures has contracted Keppel FELS Shipyard in Singapore for repair and modifications of the jackup Endeavour, ahead of a drilling program offshore Alaska for Buccaneer Energy.

Shell has confirmed the loss of 319 bbl of drilling fluids from a contract drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Keppel FELS Ltd. reports it is on schedule for delivery of the ENSCO 8505 ultra-deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig to Ensco in 1Q 2012.