Drilling & Completion News

GeoGlobal awaits rig for Israel commitments

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:39:00 GMT

GeoGlobal Resources expects to receive the drilling rig Noble Homer Ferrington by late March or mid-April.

ATP works to complete MC 942 #2 well in the GoM

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:35:00 GMT

ATP Oil & Gas Corp. has completed drilling the Mississippi Canyon 942 #2 well in the Gulf of Mexico at the Telemark Hub.

NZOG reveals Taranaki basin drilling options

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:57:00 GMT

New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) is aiming to drill the Kakapo prospect offshore New Zealand’s Taranaki basin.

Buccaneer lines up deal to operate Cosmo offshore Alaska

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:15:00 GMT

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

Wintershall takes further look at Maria

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:25:00 GMT

The semisub Borgland Dolphin has spudded an appraisal well for Wintershall on the Maria discovery in the Norwegian Sea.

Borders and Southern starts Falkland drilling campaign

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:14:00 GMT

The semisubmersible Leiv Eiriksson has spudded the first-ever exploration well south of the Falkland Islands for UK independent Borders & Southern (B&S) Petroleum.

Pacific Scirocco at work offshore Nigeria for Total

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Pacific Drilling’s Pacific Scirocco ultra-deepwater drillship has started work offshore Nigeria for Total under a one-year contract.

First production flows from Waimea offshore Brazil for OGX

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:59:00 GMT

OGX Petróleo e Gás has announced first oil with the beginning of the extended well test (EWT) in the Waimea accumulation.

GDF Suez finds gas in Faraday in North Sea

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:54:00 GMT

GDF SUEZ E&P UK has confirmed a high-pressure/high-temperature gas discovery in the Faraday prospect in the UK central North Sea.

Shell engages Expro for North Sea well services

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:50:00 GMT

Shell UIE has awarded Expro a five-year, multi-discipline well engineering program.

Petrobras reports spill during well test offshore Santos basin

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:39:00 GMT

Petrobras has detected a production string rupture at the FPWSO Dynamic Producer.

Deepwater rig for Petrobras gets construction finance support

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:36:00 GMT

Cordiant Capital Inc. is supporting the construction of a deepwater drillship by the Schahin Group.

Anadarko contracts ENSCO 8506 for GoM

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:27:00 GMT

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.

Kongsberg to supply DP-2 ability to newbuild semis for Songa

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:26:00 GMT

Kongsberg Maritime will supply dynamic positioning, thruster control, bridge navigation, vessel automation, safety, riser management, and environmental monitoring for two semisubmersible drilling rigs under way at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.

Eurasia rigs fully booked for Caspian programs

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:10:00 GMT

Eurasia Drilling Co. (EDC) has updated its drilling activities in the Caspian Sea.

Ophir to resume exploration off Equatorial Guinea

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:19:00 GMT

Ophir Energy has secured the Ocean Rig semisubmersible rig Eirik Raude for a 60-day exploration drilling program off Equatorial Guinea, starting in April.

Dragon targets further production increase from Turkmen offshore fields

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Dragon Oil expects to employ three drilling rigs for all or part of this year on its fields in the Cheleken Contract Area of the Caspian Sea.

Cairn positive about prospects offshore Greenland

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:16:00 GMT

Cairn Energy says the first phase of its exploration campaign offshore Greenland proved positive, although none of the eight wells drilled to date has led to a discovery.

Hyperdynamics’ Guinea drilling delayed, 3D seismic interpretation begins

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:16:00 GMT

A 4,000-sq km (1,544-sq mi) deepwater seismic acquisition program offshore Guinea is in processing with first results expected this March.

First Lan Do offshore drilling begins off Vietnam

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:33:00 GMT

TNK-BP’s first offshore drilling is now under way at Lan Do field offshore Vietnam.

Nigeria relief well next step, Chevron suspends search and rescue

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:11:00 GMT

Chevron Nigeria Ltd. is learning more details behind the K.S. Endeavor jackup drilling rig fire.

Norwegian stalwarts rewarded under latest licensing round

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:07:00 GMT

Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has offered 60 new production licenses to 42 companies under the country’s Awards in Pre-defined Areas (APA) 2011 scheme.

North Sea FPSO withdrawn following storm impact

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:03:00 GMT

Severe weather in the UK North Sea caused the Banff FPSO to lose its anchors, causing damage to the risers, according to Premier Oil.

Lundin issues major Luno field contracts

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:42:00 GMT

Lundin Norway has submitted a plan for development and operation (PDO) for the Luno field in the Norwegian North Sea.

Shell extends West Navigator contract

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:58:00 GMT

North Atlantic Drilling has been awarded an 18-month contract extension for the drillship West Navigator by A/S Norske Shell.

Malaysia offshore well test flows oil

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:28:00 GMT

Lundin Petroleum says its Bertam-2 appraisal well off peninsular Malaysia has confirmed the field’s potential as an oil producer.

Go-ahead for next phase of Jubilee offshore Ghana

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:19:00 GMT

Ghana’s government has approved the $1.1-billion Phase 1A development of the Jubilee field, according to Tullow Oil.

Natuna Sea gas compression project sanctioned

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:10:00 GMT

An EPCI (engineer, procure, construct, install) contract has been awarded for the Anoa Phase 4 development in the Natuna Sea off Indonesia, according to operator Premier Oil.

Norway investor confidence to remain buoyant

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:37:00 GMT

Investment and activity offshore Norway will remain high over the next five years, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate’s (NPD) latest annual review.

Caspian development drilling lifts Dragon production

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:24:00 GMT

Dragon Oil has updated its ongoing drilling program in the Cheleken Contract Area of the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

Afren finds more oil offshore Nigeria

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:50:00 GMT

Afren has discovered a new oil-bearing structure close to the Okoro field off southeast Nigeria.

Deepwater Philippines drilling on hold

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:29:00 GMT

BHP Billiton has issued a termination notice for Transocean’s Deepwater Expedition rig scheduled to begin drilling in SC 55 offshore Palawan, Philippines.

Appraisal well offshore Ghana finds light oil

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:24:00 GMT

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.’s Ntomme-2A appraisal well offshore Ghana found 128 ft (39 m) net of light oil (35ºAPI) pay.

Luno leads Lundin’s offshore Norway development line-up

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:11:00 GMT

Lundin Petroleum has unveiled a $960-million development, appraisal, and exploration program for 2012, a 40% increase on the company’s anticipated capex last year.

RWE Dea chasing more gas in Norwegian Sea

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:12:00 GMT

The semisub West Alpha has started drilling the Zidane 2 appraisal well in production license PL435 in the Norwegian Sea, targeting further gas reserves.

Appraisal well under way on Fyne in North Sea

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:43:00 GMT

Drilling has started on the Premier Oil-operated East Fyne appraisal well in the UK central North Sea, according to partner Antrim Energy.

OGX finds gas in shallow water Santos basin offshore Brazil

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:41:00 GMT

OGX Petróleo e Gás Participações S.A. has found hydrocarbons in well 1-OGX-63-SPS in block BM-S-57 in shallow water offshore Brazil’s Santos basin.

Anadarko hits largest pay yet offshore Mozambique

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:27:00 GMT

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.’s Lagosta 2 appraisal well offshore Mozambique is a success.

Statoil to shut in Barents Sea well

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:08:00 GMT

Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway has granted Statoil approval to use the semisub Aker Barents to permanently plug an exploration well in the Barents Sea.

Noble set to re-enter Israeli well

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:55:00 GMT

The drilling rig Homer Ferrington has arrived at the Leviathan 1 well site in the Rachel license in the deepwater Levantine basin.

North Sea Avaldsnes well raises reservoir issues

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:48:00 GMT

Lundin Petroleum Norway has completed its latest appraisal well on the Avaldsnes discovery in the Norwegian North Sea.

Shell gets conditional BOEM approval for Chukchi exploration

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:32:00 GMT

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

Weather relents for Dutch gas well

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:55:00 GMT

The jackup Noble Byron Welliver has spudded an appraisal well for Chevron in the Dutch North Sea, according to partner Xtract Energy.

Valiant drilling focus on northern North Sea

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:46:00 GMT

Valiant Petroleum plans to participate in up to six wells this year on the UK continental shelf.

Det norske receives rig for North Sea well

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:40:00 GMT

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has approved Det norske oljeselskap’s drilling program for a well on the Storebjørn prospect in the North Sea.

Wintershall cleared for Norwegian Sea well

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:11:00 GMT

Wintershall has authorization to drill an appraisal well in license 475 BS/CS in the Norwegian Sea.

Statoil resumes exploration on North Sea Oseberg field

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:45:00 GMT

Statoil has authorization from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate to drill an exploratory well on the Oseberg field in the North Sea.

Drilling under way on Kalvklumpen in North Sea

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:25:00 GMT

The Songa Delta is drilling an exploration well on the Kalvklumpen prospect in the central Norwegian North Sea.

Centrica halts Butch side track well in North Sea

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Centrica has had to terminate a side track well on its Butch South West prospect in the North Sea short of the exploration objective.

Vietgazprom contracts drillship for four-well program

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:26:00 GMT

Northern Offshore, Ltd. has announced that Vietgazprom, a joint venture between Petrovietnam and Gazprom, has selected the drillship Energy Searcher for an upcoming drilling program offshore Vietnam.

Diamond to convert stacked rig for new duty

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:45:00 GMT

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.

APC spuds second Liberia deepwater wildcat

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:50:00 GMT

African Petroleum Corp. Ltd. has begun the Narina 1 well on block LB-09 offshore Liberia with the Maersk Deliverer semisubmersible drilling rig.

Havis confirms emerging oil play in Barents Sea

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:30:00 GMT

Statoil has discovered more oil and gas close to last year’s Skrugard find in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea.

Ocean Guardian finishes Falkland well campaign

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:25:00 GMT

Diamond Offshore’s semisub Ocean Guardian has completed its long tour of duty in the offshore North Falkland basin.

Appraisal under way of Dutch North Sea oil discovery

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:10:00 GMT

Sterling Resources Netherlands has started drilling an appraisal well on block F17a in the Dutch North Sea, using the jackup Maersk Resolute.

Drillship spuds latest deepwater well offshore Tanzania

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:05:00 GMT

The drillship Odfjell Metro-1 has started drilling Mzia-1, the first of three wells this year for BG International offshore Tanzania.

Riser system strengthened for Bacchus North Sea installation

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:41:00 GMT

Aquaterra Energy has installed what it claims is a ‘world first’ installation of a 10,000-psi (689-bar), 20-in. (51-cm) I.D. full bore drilling riser for Apache North Sea.

Statoil finds fourth potential satellite to Gullfaks

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:35:00 GMT

Statoil has proved further oil in the Gullfaks area of the North Sea.

Azul well confirms Angola presalt potential

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:10:00 GMT

Maersk Oil has discovered oil in the deepwater Azul-1 exploration well in block 23 in Angola’s Kwanza basin.

Petrobras finds hydrocarbons close to Golfinho

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Petrobras has discovered light oil and gas accumulation in the Tambuata prospect in Brazil’s offshore Espirito Santo basin.

Cummins announces new QSK95 engine, ODPM package

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:04:00 GMT

Along with the introduction of its new QSK95 engine, Cummins Inc. has announced that the engine will be configured as a ready-to-install offshore drilling power module (ODPM) with 2.1 MW output.

New semisubmersible design is a riser-friendly floater

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:36:00 GMT

The wet-tree floater market in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) has been growing, largely due to reservoir properties that favor direct vertical wells, which leads to subsea production; and increased water depth, which makes steel catenary riser (SCR) design easier and top tension riser design more difficult.

McMoRan continues with GoM shallow-water, ultra-deep gas successes

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:29:00 GMT

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

Offshore pioneer 'Doc' Laborde reminisces on early offshore technology development

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:05:00 GMT

Alden J. "Doc" Laborde, a graduate of the US Naval Academy and World War II veteran, left his job with Kerr-McGee in 1950 to found the Ocean Drilling and Exploration Co.

Shell, Noble introduce Noble Bully 1 to GoM

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:08:00 GMT

Shell and Noble Corp. have brought the Noble Bully 1 drillship into the Gulf of Mexico from Singapore to complete commissioning and acceptance testing.

North America

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:44:00 GMT

Kenai Offshore Adventures has acquired the jackup GSF Adriatic XI from Transocean, renaming it Endeavour – Spirit of Independence.

Coring completed on latest Falklands well

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:30:00 GMT

The semisub Ocean Guardian has completed coring and logging operations at Rockhopper Exploration’s latest exploration/appraisal well in the offshore North Falkland basin.

Lamprell finds taker for MIS jackup

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:05:00 GMT

Compañía Perforadora Mexico (PEMSA) has contracted Lamprell to supply a newbuild jackup drilling rig.

Deepwater Cypriot well delivers gas for Noble

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:30:00 GMT

Noble Energy has discovered potentially large volumes of gas with a well in the greater Levant basin offshore Cyprus.

Hyperdynamics restarts exploration well offshore Guinea

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:26:00 GMT

Drilling has resumed on the Sabu-1 exploration well offshore the Republic of Guinea, says Hyperdynamics Corp.

Congo well fails to yield commercial flow

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:05:00 GMT

SOCO International has found sub-economic hydrocarbons with its latest exploration well off the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville).

BG wells extend Knarr oil envelope in Norwegian Sea

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:05:00 GMT

BG Norge has found further oil close to its Knarr field in the northern Norwegian North Sea.

Side track extends North Sea Erne oil potential

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:35:00 GMT

Antrim Energy has discovered further oil in the Erne structure in the UK northern North Sea.

Hess contracts tender rig for Equatorial Guinea

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:25:00 GMT

Hess Equatorial Guinea has issued a letter of award to Seadrill for use of the semi-tender rig West Esperanza.

Providence strengthens position in Irish permit

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:15:00 GMT

Providence Resources has agreed to acquire San Leon Energy’s 30% working interest in a Celtic Sea license off southern Ireland.

Urca orders semisubmersible drilling rig to work offshore Brazil

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:15:00 GMT

Urca Drilling BV has contracted Fernvale Pte Ltd to design and construct a semisubmersible drilling rig for $809 million.

SOCO starts batch drilling offshore Vietnam

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:45:00 GMT

SOCO International plc is drilling the first of five batched wells from the H4 wellhead platform. PetroVietnam Drilling’s PDV-1 jackup is doing the drilling.

Ensco rig returns to GoM for Cobalt contract

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:00:00 GMT

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.

North Sea Tudor Rose well finds viscous crude

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:05:00 GMT

EnCore Oil’s Tudor Rose appraisal well 14/30a-5 has reached total measured depth in the UK central North Sea.

Tug tows Noble semi to Egypt field

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:40:00 GMT

Fairmount Marine’s tug Fairmount Sherpa has towed the semisubmersible drilling rig Noble Paul Romano from the Gulf of Mexico to Egypt.

Keppel FELS to modify Alaska jackup

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:15:00 GMT

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 stops drilling Appomattox well in Gulf to repair fluids leak

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:55:00 GMT

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

Noble upgrades gas estimate for Leviathan offshore Israel

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:15:00 GMT

Noble Energy has delivered an upbeat verdict on its Leviathan appraisal well offshore Israel.

Saipem wins Angola jackup charters

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:00:00 GMT

Chevron has contracted Saipem for a three-year charter of the jackup Perro Negro 6 offshore Angola, starting in 2Q 2012.

Statoil takes action following Gullfaks well incident

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:55:00 GMT

Statoil says it has responded to the most recent requests from Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) concerning the Gullfaks C well control incident in the North Sea last May.

Statoil steps up search in Barents Sea

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:50:00 GMT

Statoil Petroleum has authorization from Petroleum Safety Authority Norway to drill an appraisal well in the Barents Sea.

Gibraltar yard open to rig repairs

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:50:00 GMT

The 22,604-ton semisubmersible drilling rig Etesco Millennium, built in 1976 by Marathon Le Tourneau and upgraded in 2006, is undergoing an overhaul at the Gibdock shipyard.

Schlumberger acquires ThruBit logging service

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:30:00 GMT

Schlumberger has acquired ThruBit LLC to expand its wireline technology reach into horizontal well evaluation.

ITERA commissions Turkmen Caspian Sea drilling feasibility study

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:05:00 GMT

ITERA Oil and Gas has contracted SHELF Marine Technologies Center for a drilling feasibility study in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

Chevron extends drilling success offshore Western Australia

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:15:00 GMT

Chevron Corp. has announced a natural gas discovery in the Exmouth Plateau of the Carnarvon basin offshore Western Australia.

HP/HT gas strike for ConocoPhillips offshore Norway

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:55:00 GMT

ConocoPhillips Skandinavia has proven gas with two wildcat high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) wells in the southern Norwegian North Sea.

More wells lined up for Don in North Sea

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:40:00 GMT

Valiant Petroleum has issued an update on two development projects in the UK northern North Sea where it is a partner.

Rockhopper extends Falkland offshore oil, gas corridor

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:30:00 GMT

Rockhopper Exploration reports two new discoveries in the offshore North Falkland basin.

Irish well approaching oil targets

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:30:00 GMT

Providence Resources’ appraisal well on the Barryroe field off southern Ireland is close to the underlying oil targets.

ENSCO 8505 on schedule for delivery from Keppel FELS

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:10:00 GMT

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

ATP completes Clipper #4, contracts pipelay barge for 2012

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:30:00 GMT

ATP Oil & Gas Corp. has completed the second Clipper well and tested it at 9,000 b/d of oil and 4.6 MMcf/d of natural gas, the company reports.

Bowleven contracts Aurora to drill offshore Cameroon

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:10:00 GMT

Bowleven Plc has contracted the Atwood Aurora jackup to drill offshore Cameroon starting in May 2012, reports Atwood Oceanics Inc.

Newbuild jackup chosen for Draupne

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:05:00 GMT

Det norske oljeselskap has issued Maersk Drilling with a Letter of Award (LoA) for a jackup for the Draupne development project in the Norwegian North Sea.

Lundin spuds Bertam-2 offshore Malaysia

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:01:00 GMT

Lundin Petroleum has spudded the Bertam-2 appraisal well in the PM307 Production Sharing Contract (PSC) offshore Peninsular Malaysia.

Vanco reports deepwater discovery offshore Côte d'Ivoire

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:10:00 GMT

Vanco Côte d’Ivoire Ltd. has announced a discovery offshore Côte d’Ivoire block CI-401 with the Independence 1X well.