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STAVANGER, Norway -- Statoil and Shell have been awarded the Timissit Permit license in the Illizi-Ghadames basin onshore Algeria. The license is located in southeastern Algeria and covers an area of 2,730 sq km. Statoil bid in partnership with Shell, where Statoil will be the operator with 30% equity, Shell will hold 19% equity and the remaining 51% will be held by Sonatrach.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The Joint Shipping Initiative -- made up of Shell, BP, Maersk, Stena and Japanese shipping companies NYK, MOL and “K” Line -- has given $1.5 million of additional funds to a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) project to improve the lives of Somalis and security for seafarers. The UNDP’s “Alternative Livelihoods to Piracy in Puntland and Central Regions of Somalia” project aims to reduce piracy off the coast of east Africa through local economic development, job creation, training, and business development grants onshore in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Drilling of the Brugdan II Re-Entry well in licence 006 offshore the Faroe Islands has concluded. The well will now be plugged and abandoned. It was drilled to 4542 m and resulted in a dry well.
The well is located 130 km offshore the Faroe Islands and was respudded in May 2014. It was drilled using the West Hercules semi-submersible rig in a water depth of 450 m.
This is the second exploration well that has been drilled in licence 006 which covers an area of approximately 579 sq km.
Statoil has been in the Faroe Islands since 2000 and holds a significant acreage position with four operated licences. The licences are basalt-covered and target multiple and diverse plays.
Statoil' s position in the Faroe Islands is in line with the company' s exploration strategy of early access at scale and establishing a leading position in frontier areas.
Partners in licence 006 are: Statoil 35% (operator), ExxonMobil 49%, OMV 15% and Atlantic Petroleum 1%.
West Hercules will now move on to licence 008 in the Faroe Islands, where Statoil also is operator, to drill the Sula/Stelkur well.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Partners in Israel’s Leviathan offshore natural gas field signed a letter of intent to hold talks with a subsidiary of BG Group Plc about supplying the company’s gas-liquefying plant in Egypt.
The letter sets out terms of a final accord, including the sale of 7 Bcm of gas a year for 15 years at a price to be determined, the partners said today, June 29. Gas would be supplied at the Leviathan platform and delivered by pipeline to BG International (NSW) Ltd.’s plant at Idku, Egypt, according to a filing that Ratio Oil Exploration 1992 LP and two units of Delek Group Ltd. made to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
The 2010 discovery of Leviathan, coming after the nearby Tamar find, is proving a bonanza for Israel, which expects the gas to meet its needs for a quarter of a century and also enable it to sell to other countries. Egypt formerly supplied gas to Israel until repeated sabotage of a pipeline in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula led the Arab nation to cancel the exports in 2012.
“This is an opening shot for the development of Leviathan,” Guil Bashan, an analyst at Tel Aviv-based IBI- Israel Brokerage & Investments Ltd., said by phone today. “The supply at the platform implies BG will be building the pipeline and all the infrastructure to transport the gas, which means much lower capital expenditure and lower risk for the Leviathan partners.”
Tamar
The partners signed their non-binding letter of intent on June 27, according to today’s filing by Delek Drilling-LP, Avner Oil Exploration LLP and Ratio Oil Exploration 1992. Noble Energy, Inc. of Houston, Texas, is the fourth and biggest partner in Leviathan, with a 39.7% stake. Noble said May 5 that it signed a non-binding agreement of intent to sell gas from the Tamar field to Union Fenosa Gas SA’s LNG plant in Egypt.
Shares of Delek Drilling-LP and Avner Oil Exploration advanced 1.2% and 1.8%, respectively, at the close in Tel Aviv. Ratio Oil Exploration 1992 gained 3.3%, the most since Feb. 2. Delek Group, which has stakes in Delek Drilling and Avner, added 0.4%.
Delek and Noble already have gas-supply agreements with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. “We expect more export deals for Leviathan, including Turkey, Cyprus and Jordan,” Bashan said.
Australia’s Woodside Petroleum Ltd. scrapped an agreement last month to buy a quarter of Leviathan, Israel’s largest gas field, for as much as $2.6 billion.
Aside from Noble’s stake in the field, Delek Drilling and Avner hold 22.7% each and Ratio Oil Exploration has 15%.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Total, together with its partner DONG, has decided to launch the development of the Edradour gas field in the West of Shetland area, and has in addition acquired a 60% interest in the neighboring Glenlivet discovery. The tie backs of Edradour and Glenlivet to Laggan-Tormore are expected to add reserves of more than 65 MMboe.
“With the upcoming start up of Laggan-Tormore, the sanction of Edradour and the entry into Glenlivet, Total is establishing a new strategic hub in the West of Shetland area,” said Patrice de Vivies, Total’s S.V.P. Exploration & Production, Northern Europe. “The sanction of Edradour also demonstrates our focus on cost discipline. The development was put on hold in 2013 due to significant cost increases following the tendering process, but subsequent negotiations with the contractors have reduced the costs to an acceptable level, allowing us to successfully launch the project.”
Total operates the Edradour discovery with a 75% interest together with its partner DONG E&P (UK) (25%). Following Total’s entry into Glenlivet with a 60% interest, DONG will retain a 20% interest along with Faroe Petroleum (UK) and First Oil Expro, each holding a 10% interest. Total (80%, operator) and DONG (20%) are also partners in the Laggan-Tormore development.
Edradour and Glenlivet fields
The Edradour discovery is located in Block 206/4a, in approximately 300 m of water, 75 kms northwest of the Shetlands. The development plan consists of the conversion of the discovery well into a production well and a 16 km production pipeline tied back to the main Laggan-Tormore flowline. Edradour is expected to start up in the fourth quarter of 2017 and will reach a plateau of 17,000 boed with an estimated development cost of $583 million (340 million GBP).
The Glenlivet discovery is located in Block 214/30a, in approximately 435 m of water, 90 kms northwest of the Shetlands. Total and the Glenlivet partners are studying the possibility of developing the reservoir with two wells and a 17 km production pipeline tied back to the Edradour development. A decision by the Glenlivet partners regarding the development of the field is expected shortly.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Tullow Oil Plc reported that the Hanssen wildcat well, in production license 537, offshore Norway, has encountered a 20-25 m oil bearing sandstone with good reservoir properties in the main target (Sto Formation). The Hanssen well was drilled about 7 km northwest of the Wisting Central oil discovery and about 315 km north of Hammerfest.
The well also encountered hydrocarbon bearing sandstones in the Late Triassic (Snadd Formation) and in the Middle Triassic (Snadd Formation) but in poor reservoirs. Extensive coring and sampling have been carried out in all hydrocarbon bearing formations.
This discovery was tested and produced a maximum production rate of 2,006 bopd and 325,000 scfd of gas from a short test interval in a vertical well. Tullow anticipates that production rates from future development wells would be significantly higher. Preliminary volume estimates of up to 50 MMbbl of recoverable oil from this discovery confirm the potential of the Wisting cluster.
The 7324/7-2 well was drilled to a vertical depth of 1,679 m by the Transocean Barents rig in a water depth of 417.5 m. This successful oil well will now be plugged and abandoned.
The Hanssen discovery is located in production license PL537 in which Tullow has a 20% interest. OMV (Norge) are the operator with a 25% interest while Idemitsu (20%), Statoil (15%) and Petoro (20%) are also partners.
Angus McCoss, Exploration Director, Tullow Oil commented, “This success is an important follow-up to our Wisting Central oil discovery in September last year which opened up the Hoop area. The Hanssen discovery gives us significant insight into the potential of the Wisting cluster and further confidence that we are on track towards proving up a major new commercial oil resource. We and our partners are preparing to drill the Hassel and Bjaaland wells in the eastern part of the Wisting cluster next year.”
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Polarcus wins 3D seismic acquisition offshore West Africa HOUSTON, Texas Polarcus has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with an undisclosed client for a 3D marine seismic acquisition project offshore West Africa. The project, subject to the execution of a
Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd' s wholly-owned subsidiaries Keppel Shipyard Ltd and Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd have secured contracts worth a total of $294 million (S$368 million).
The contract secured by Keppel Shipyard is for the conversion of a FPSO vessel for Armada Kraken Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bumi Armada Berhad .
The new FPSO will be a harsh-environment unit that is designed for operations in the North Sea under a stringent regulatory regime. Work has commenced and the FPSO is scheduled for delivery in 3Q 2015. When completed, the FPSO will be capable of producing the heavy-oil (API degree 14) in the Kraken field, UK sector of the North Sea, over a period of 25 years.
In addition, the FPSO will be able to handle a peak fluid rate of 460,000 bpd and 80,000 bopd, 275,000 bpd of water injection, 20 MMscf of gas handling and has a storage capacity of 600,000 bbl.
Keppel Shipyard' s work scope for this FPSO project includes refurbishment and life extension works, upgrading of living quarters to accommodate 90 personnel, installation of an internal turret mooring system as well as the installation and integration of topside process modules.
Subsea construction
Meanwhile, Keppel Singmarine has secured a contract from Baku Shipyard LLC to design and carry out fabrication and outfitting works for a Subsea Construction Vessel (SCV) which, when completed, will be deployed for the Stage 2 development of the Shah Deniz field that lies some 70 km offshore in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea.
The SCV is a project that Baku Shipyard recently secured from BP Exploration (Shah Deniz) Ltd, the operator of the Shah Deniz gas field development. It is the first major contract secured by the shipyard since its inauguration by the President of Azerbaijan in September 2013.
Baku Shipyard, located in Baku, Azerbaijan, was jointly developed by Keppel O&M, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC). Keppel O&M, SOCAR and AIC own 10%, 65% and 25% share in the yard respectively. Keppel O&M is responsible for the management and operation of the yard.
Keppel Singmarine' s work scope includes the design of the vessel, the fabrication of the hull strips and outfitting them with equipment and systems at its yard in Singapore. The hull strips will be shipped to Baku Shipyard for integration with other components fabricated by Baku Shipyard, and completion after commissioning works and sea trials. The SCV will be built to the proprietary design by Marine Technology Development, the ship design and development arm of Keppel O&M.
The SCV will provide essential support for the construction of subsea structures which will form the biggest subsea production system in the Caspian. Designed to work in 2.5 m significant wave height, the vessel will be equipped with a dynamic positioning system, a 750-metric tonne heave compensated crane for 600 m-deep subsea operation, an 18-men two-bell diving system and two work-class remotely operated vehicles.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Wood Group Kenny (WGK) has been awarded an engineering services contract to support Tullow Ghana Limited and its partners through the execution phase of the Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme (TEN) project, offshore Ghana. WGK will provide subsea, umbilical, risers, flowlines (SURF) engineering services.
The Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme oil fields are situated in the Deepwater Tano area, offshore Ghana, approximately 30 km from the existing Jubilee field.
The TEN Project has been sanctioned by the partners and the Ghanaian government, and contracts have been awarded for the FPSO vessel, subsea hardware, risers, pipelines, umbilicals and for subsea installation.
WGK will provide Tullow with project engineering resources, specialist technical support and technical assurance services across the SURF implementation work scope through to first oil. As well as a core project team based in London, WGK resources will be provided across a range of subsea disciplines and at a number of fabrication sites including the U.S., Norway, Malaysia and Ghana, where Wood Group Ghana Ltd is already established.
The TEN fields lie in the Deepwater Tano block, around 60 km offshore Ghana. The reservoirs are spread over 800 sq km, and lie in water depths of between 1,000 and 1,800 m. Development of the TEN Project is being led by Tullow Oil, with partners Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Kosmos Energy LLC, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and PetroSA.
The TEN Development Plan was approved by the Government of Ghana in May 2013 and requires the drilling and completion of up to 24 development wells. These will be connected through subsea infrastructure to an FPSO vessel currently under construction in Singapore.
First oil from the TEN fields is scheduled for mid-2016, and the nominal production capacity of the FPSO is 80,000 bopd.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Petroceltic wins new exploration licence in Egypt DUBLIN, Ireland Petroceltic International (Petroceltic), has reported a JV comprising Petroceltic and Edison International (Edison) was the successful bidder for the North Port Fouad block, in the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company 2013
Capstone Turbine increases presence in African market with offshore order CHATSWORTH, California Capstone Turbine Corporation has received an order for two C1000 microturbines for an offshore oil and gas platform in Africa. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Africa
VIENNA, Austria (Bloomberg) -- A reduction in OPEC crude output deepened as Libya’s biggest producing oilfield stopped pumping amid supply cuts from Saudi Arabia and potential disruptions to Nigerian exports. Libya halted the Sharara oilfield as a precaution after a rocket attack on the connected Zawiya refinery three days ago, closing down about 30% of national output. In Africa’s largest oil producer, state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. was in talks Sept. 17 to prevent a strike that threatened to disrupt exports. Saudi Arabia told the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that in August it made the deepest production cut in 18 months.
Kenya sees oil resources almost doubling with more drilling DAVID MALINGHA DOYA NAIROBI, Kenya (Bloomberg) Kenya expects its estimate of oil resources to almost double to 1 Bbbl as well drilling climbs and the government forges ahead with plans to
OAO Lukoil and the Russian state’s ambitions to supercharge exploration in the Caspian Sea are captive to a backlog of orders for rigs at Eurasia Drilling Co.
“Our aim is to more aggressively develop the offshore, to kickstart the program,” Lukoil’s billionaire shareholder Leonid Fedun said in an interview with Bloomberg News in Moscow. “The level of drilling will depend on the technical abilities of Eurasia Drilling. They have rigs, but there is a line.”
Russia, dependent on oil and gas for about half its annual tax income, wants companies to tap offshore oil as the nation’s main land-based Siberian operations show their age. To encourage investment, a state commission ruled some offshore permits issued to companies like Lukoil are valid regardless of legislation in 2008 that limited rights to government-owned businesses.
While most of Russia’s offshore potential is in Arctic seas, Caspian projects that are already in development will be the first to add new barrels needed to keep output stable.
“Now there are no reservations that our exploration work can be handed to someone else,” Fedun said yesterday, June 25.
Eurasia Drilling, the dominant supplier of jackup rigs used in Caspian exploration, said in a March presentation for its 2013 results that it had a $1.2 billion offshore backlog. It has three jackup rigs at work and another is being built.
“There is certainly demand for rigs and that’s why we added a new rig at the end of last year and will deliver another at the end of this year,” Tom O’Gallagher, vice president for investor relations at Eurasia, said by phone today, June 26. “If there is a commitment to more work available, then we will certainly consider investing in another rig.”
Current exploration, using as many as eight wells in the inland sea this year, is expected to result in a significant increase in reserves at the Kuvykin deposit, Fedun said.
“We need to drill more but I can already say now that it will be hundreds of millions of barrels, mainly oil,” he said. “Our strategy without a doubt will be structured with an emphasis on the Caspian. This is priority number one.”
Lukoil, which now produces oil from the Caspian’s Korchagin deposit, began moving an upper platform to the Filanovsky field from Astrakhan shipyard yesterday, Russia’s second-biggest oil company said in a statement. The field will begin producing at the end of next year or start of 2016.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
MILAN -- Eni has made a new oil discovery in Block 15/06, in the Ochigufu exploration prospect, in deep water offshore Angola. Oghigufu is the tenth commercial oil discovery made in Block 15/06. The discovery is estimated to contain 300 MMbbl of oil in place. The Ochigufu 1 NFW well, which has led to the discovery, will be brought into production in record time. The well is located approximately 150 km off the coast and 9.8 km from the Ngoma FPSO (West Hub).
South Sudan gets $250 million from Qatar Bank as oil output cut MADING NGOR JUBA, South Sudan (Bloomberg) South Sudan is using a $250 million Qatar National Bank credit line to fund food and fuel purchases after civil war cut
Swala Energy awarded block 44 in the Republic of Zambia PERTH, Australia Swala Energy (Zambia) Limited, has been formally awarded hydrocarbon exploration rights over block 44 in the Republic of Zambia. Pursuant to the Company’s announcement on 12th May 2014
LAGOS, Nigeria (Bloomberg) -- Workers at Nigerian National Petroleum Corp., the country’s state-owned oil company, began an indefinite strike that may disrupt crude output from Africa’s top producer and affect its domestic gasoline supplies, a union official said. “We have total shutdown at NNPC offices and all their subsidiaries, and that may affect the exports,” Babatunde Oke, a Lagos-based spokesman for both a managers’ union and a blue-collar workers’ union, said by phone Sept. 16. “The refinery workers are also not working.”
ABUJA, Nigeria (Bloomberg) -- Nigeria aims to almost triple its natural gas production capacity by 2020 to help meet the West African nation’s power and industrial development needs, Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke said. Africa’s biggest oil producer wants to increase capacity to 11 Bcfd, from about 4 Bcfd now, Alison-Madueke said in an interview Sept. 15 in Abuja, the capital.
Ophir Energy makes new gas discovery at Silenus East LONDON Ophir Energy Plc has reported that the Silenus East 1 well in block R, Equatorial Guinea has resulted in a new gas discovery. The Silenus East 1 well was drilled
Fugro has completed the acquisition of the Geofor Group based in Libreville (Gabon), Douala (Cameroon), Pointe Noire (Republic of Congo) and São Tomé City (São Tomé) to strengthen its presence in the Central Africa region and the French speaking African countries. In addition to its longer established offices, Geofor has significant working experience in Niger, Chad and Equatorial Guinea.
Geofor is an onshore/nearshore geotechnical company, which delivers drilling services and has highly specialized engineers and geologists in the fields of geotechnical consulting, hydrology, and land survey.
The company was established in 1989 and has over 25 years of experience working in most countries in Africa. The client base includes major oil and gas companies and key mining clients. In addition, Geofor is active in infrastructure and water supply projects.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Wentworth signs long term gas sales agreement for Mnazi bay, Msimbati gas fields Tanzania PARIS, France Maurel & Prom has reported that along with Mnazi Bay license partners Wentworth and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), it has signed a gas
Japan’s Mitsubishi acquires stake in Cote d’Ivoire block TOKYO, Japan Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has agreed to acquire a 20% ownership interest in Block CI 103 hydrocarbon production sharing contract from US based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Block CI 103, which is
Premier reported that first gas under the Domestic Swap Agreement (DSA) commenced on 1 July 2014. Premier will supply up to an additional 40 BBtud (gross) from its operated Natuna Sea Block A offshore Indonesia to the domestic market, via a swap arrangement.
Under the arrangement, Premier will deliver additional volumes to Singapore from its Natuna Sea Block A, which will be swapped with existing supplies from Sumatra to Singapore. These Sumatra volumes will be re-directed to the Indonesian domestic gas market.
Gas delivered under the DSA replaces gas previously contracted to Batam Island, Indonesia, from the Natuna Sea Block A under GSA3 and GSA4. DSA deliveries will be made until the domestic pipelines are constructed and the GSA3 and GSA4 contracts commence.
Tony Durrant, CEO, commented: "We are delighted that our operated Natuna Sea fields are now delivering gas into the Indonesian domestic market as well as into Singapore via this innovative commercial agreement between multiple parties in Singapore and Indonesia.”
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas (FM O&G) has completed the acquisition of certain of Apache Corporation’s interests in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GoM).
Following the exercise of preferential purchase rights by other working interest owners in the Lucius project, FM O&G acquired for $919 million, 51.2% of Apache' s 11.7% working interest in the Lucius oil development project, 100% of Apache' s 12.5% working interest in the Heidelberg oil development project and several exploration leases. Following closing and the interim redetermination of equity ownership by the co-owners in the Lucius field, FM O&G owns an approximate 25.1% working interest in Lucius.
The deepwater GoM acquisition was funded with proceeds from the sale of FM O&G’s Eagle Ford shale assets, which closed on June 20.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
JUBA, South Sudan (Bloomberg) -- South Sudan plans to split an oil block awarded to Star Petroleum SA, a Luxembourg-registered company, as part of a review of a concession criticized by the country’s lawmakers, Petroleum Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau said. Block E, which covers 45,000 sq km (17,375 sq miles), will be divided into two, Dau said in an interview on Sept. 9 in the capital, Juba.
McDermott International Inc (McDermott) reported the successful completion of the Ayatsil-B Drilling Platform for PEMEX Exploracion y Produccion in the Bay of Campeche Ayatsil field.
McDermott was awarded the contract in 2012 and provided engineering, procurement, fabrication, pre-commissioning, load-out and sea fastening of the Ayatsil-B eight-leg jacket and deck, weighing approximately 11,535 tonnes in water 115 m deep.
“McDermott is proud to successfully deliver this jacket and deck to PEMEX,” said David Dickson, President and CEO. “During the project, more than 540 personnel at our Altamira yard worked safely to complete the structure for the growing Mexican offshore market.”
McDermott completed the engineering from its network of specialist in-house engineers in Houston and Mexico City, with fabrication from its yard in Altamira, Mexico.
McDermott is contracted to provide training for PEMEX personnel for operation and maintenance of the Ayatsil-B facility. The platform is one of four to be used, along with an FPSO, to develop heavy oil from the Ayatsil field in the Bay of Campeche.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
CGG bags $80 mn seismic acquisition contracts for Asia Pacific, West Africa PARIS, France CGG has been awarded contracts for the 3D seismic acquisition of four major surveys using its BroadSeisTM with BroadSourceTM, marine broadband technology. The four surveys represent
Aker Solutions secured a contract from Statoil to provide maintenance and modifications services for the Mariner oilfield development in the UK North Sea.
The five-year framework agreement also has extension options for a total of four years. Aker Solutions' Aberdeen operations will manage the contract work.
Aker Solutions will deliver the maintenance planning system in the pre-operations phase of the development, as well as support services during the hook-up and commissioning phase. The contract includes maintenance and modifications services after the field is set to start production in 2017.
"Mariner is the largest new offshore development in the UK in more than a decade and will lead to substantial job creation in the Aberdeen region," said David Currie, regional president for Aker Solutions in the UK. "We are delighted to take part in this important development and to build on our strong partnership with Statoil."
The Mariner heavy oil field, discovered in 1981, is located on the East Shetland platform of the UK North Sea about 150 km east of the Shetland Isles.
Both parties agreed not to disclose the contract value.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
DNO granted 2 yr extension in Somaliland production sharing deal OSLO, Norway DNO ASA, reported that it has been granted a two year extension of the term of its production sharing agreement for Block SL18 in Somaliland. The first exploration
Polarcus Amani has mobilized for a 4,400 sq km RIGHTBAND 3D multi-client survey in the Southern Porcupine basin, offshore Ireland. The multi-client project, being acquired in collaboration with ION GeoVentures and GeoPartners, will be the largest ever 3D multi-client seismic survey acquired offshore Ireland.
The South Porcupine multi-client project, supported by industry prefunding from Providence Resources, is expected to run for approx. 3 months and is being acquired by Polarcus Amani towing a 1,350 m ultra-wide deep-tow spread comprising 10 by 8,000 m solid streamers. The resultant data will be processed by ION GXT through a WiBand workflow to deliver a full broadband deliverable to the industry.
Final data products will be available early 2015 for companies seeking to participate in the 2015 Irish Atlantic Margin Oil and Gas Exploration Licensing Round.
Rolf Ronningen, CEO Polarcus, said: "We are especially excited to be undertaking this new 3D multi-client project offshore Ireland. Polarcus Amani is one of the largest vessels in our fleet, equipped with the latest seismic technologies and environmental systems to ensure these operations are conducted to the highest safety and environmental standards."
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
ACCRA, Ghana (Bloomberg) -- Ghana will double crude production by 2017 as offshore deposits being developed by Tullow Oil Plc and Eni SpA start producing oil, Minister of Energy Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said. Tullow’s TEN development will produce about 80,000 bpd by then, the minister said by phone Sept. 5. Eni’s Sankofa Gye-Nyame deposit will pump 50,000 bbl, he said. Production at Ghana’s Jubilee field will rise to 120,000 bbl from 110,000 today.
Surging costs for drilling and maintenance risk hampering Statoil goal to boost the recovery rate at its Norwegian offshore oil fields to 60%, CEO Helge Lund said.
Statoil, which reached a 50% recovery rate for Norway in 2012, is forgoing the most expensive projects to cut investments and costs in the years ahead, Lund said in a speech in Trondheim, where the state-controlled company opened a research facility on increased oil recovery.
“Reaching the ambition of 60% is definitely a very, very steep climb,” he said. “Our ability to deliver high- value, cost-efficient IOR initiatives will be I think the real test.”
Norway’s government has warned producers to not let spending cuts hurt developments, especially time-critical projects aimed at raising recovery at existing fields. Statoil said in February it would lower planned investments through 2016 by 8% to boost returns amid rising costs, and is preparing to deepen those cuts toward 2020, according to internal documents seen by Bloomberg News.
“It’s important that cost saving programs don’t lead to resources staying in the ground,” Petroleum and Energy Minister Tord Lien said in an interview.
Statoil and other oil companies have complained that altered framework conditions, such as a tax increase last year, are making investments in increased-recovery projects less profitable. Measures include new drilling techniques and water, gas and chemical injection in the reservoirs.
Raising the Norwegian average recovery rate to 55% would yield production equivalent to the Johan Sverdrup field, the biggest discovery off Norway in decades with as much as 2.9 Bbbl of oil, Lund said.
“It gets steeper for every percentage point,” he said. “But the reward is also very high.”
Statoil has said it’s reviewing plans to boost production at its Snorre field by 300 Mmbbl of oil by building a new platform. Shell, in April shelved plans to boost recovery from its Ormen Lange field in the Norwegian Sea.
Lund also said the efforts aren’t helped by recent political wrangling in parliament, where a minority tried to force so-called electrification on offshore developments in the Utsira High area, including Sverdrup.
“The affair around Utsira created uncertainty in the oil and gas industry, and significant uncertainty also among investors,” Lund said in an interview. “It’s important that we come back to the formulas that have worked perfectly over the past 40 years.”
Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg has vowed to protect the industry from political interference.
“We’ve had framework conditions based on broad, large compromises in parliament over the last 45 years,” Lien said today. “I hope we can go back to that and that we won’t experience more attempts at challenging the model that has worked and served Norwegian taxpayers and workers very well, not to speak of the state finances.”
Statoil’s increased recovery measures in Norway, from water and gas injection to horizontal wells, have until now added 7.5 Bbbl to its oil reserves. The company has given no time frame for when it plans to reach a 60% recovery rate.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Global Petroleum extends exploration licence off Namibia BRISBANE, Australia Global Petroleum Limited presently reported that its wholly owned subsidiary, Jupiter Petroleum (Namibia) Limited (Jupiter), has agreed with the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) a 12 month extension of
Dolphin starts 3D seismic survey offshore Senegal OSLO, Norway Dolphin Geophysical reported that they have formally been awarded the acquisition and processing of a 7,000 sq.km. SHarp Broadband 3D survey offshore Senegal by Kosmos Energy. The Dolphin high capacity 3D
Statoil hit by dry wells off Angola, US Gulf of Mexico STAVANGER, Norway Statoil has completed the Martin well in US Gulf of Mexico and the Dilolo well in the Kwanza basin in Angola. US Gulf of Mexico Statoil reported
CAMAC Energy awards contracts for seismic surveys at Kenya blocks L1B, L16 HOUSTON, Texas CAMAC Energy Inc. reported that its wholly owned subsidiary, CAMAC Energy Kenya Limited, has awarded seismic contracts for the acquisition of 2D seismic surveys on Block
BENGHAZI (Bloomberg) -- The group that controls Libya’s largest oil port pledged to work with the government to keep crude flowing to international markets and defend oilfields against any advance by Islamist militias that seized Tripoli, the country’s capital.
HOUSTON -- Atwood Oceanics has announced the delivery of the Atwood Achiever from the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (DSME) shipyard in South Korea. The Atwood Achiever has commenced the mobilization phase of its drilling services contract with Kosmos Energy and is expected to arrive in northwest Africa in early December to conduct a three-year exploration drilling program.
Exploration activity on the Norwegian shelf remains vigorous, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate says. Thirteen new discoveries have been made this year, the largest of these in the Norwegian Sea.
Eight exploration wells are currently being drilled. As of 24 June, 33 exploration wells have been spudded and 33 terminated. For comparison, the number of exploration wells spudded in the first six months of 2013 was 28.
So far this year, 23 wildcat wells and 10 appraisal wells have been drilled. Thirteen new discoveries have been made -- seven in the North Sea, three in the Norwegian Sea and three in the Barents Sea.
North Sea
Exploration in the North Sea is down somewhat as a consequence of the final delineation of the Johan Sverdrup discovery. Statoil Petroleum has made six discoveries and Total E&P Norge has made one. The discoveries are all small and close to existing fields.
The southernmost discovery was made east of the Heimdal field in the central part of the North Sea. Here Total has proven oil in wildcat well 25/5-9 in the Heimdal formation in the Palaeocene. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 0.5 and 2 million Sm3 of recoverable oil.
Statoil proved oil in well 30/11-9 A in the southwestern part of the Oseberg area. The well was drilled as a sidetrack from well 30/11-9 S, which was terminated in 2013. Oil was proven in the Heather formation in the Upper Jurassic and in the Brent group in the Middle Jurassic. In total, the two wells -- 30 /11-9 4 S and A -- have proven between 3 and 7 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalents.
Near the Fram field in the northeastern part of the North Sea, Statoil discovered oil in well 35/11-17 in the Fensfjord formation in the Upper Jurassic and in the Brent group in the Middle Jurassic. Preliminary estimates indicate that this discovery is between 1 and 3 million Sm3 recoverable oil equivalents.
The greatest exploration activity has been in the Gullfaks area in the northern part of the North Sea, where Statoil has made four discoveries in Jurassic reservoir rocks. Oil and gas were proven in wells 34/10-54 S and A, the latter drilled as a sidetrack. Preliminary estimates of the size of the two discoveries indicate a total of between 3 and 12 million Sm3 recoverable oil equivalents.
Petroleum has been proven in well 34/10-C-18 A between the Gullfaks and Visund fields. Preliminary estimates place the size of this discovery between 0.2 and 1 million Sm3 recoverable oil equivalents. Well 34/8-17 S, drilled just east of the Visund field, proved oil and gas. The size of the discovery is estimated at between 0.5 and 2 million Sm3 recoverable oil equivalents.
Norwegian Sea
Three discoveries have been made in the Norwegian Sea in the first half of this year. Southwest of the Njord field, VNG Norge AS proved oil and gas in well 6406/12-3 S (Pil) in the Rogn and Melke formations in the Upper Jurassic. A 226-m hydrocarbon column was proven, of which 135 m are oil in a reservoir with good flow properties.
The preliminary size estimate for the discovery is between 6 and 21 million Sm3 of recoverable oil and between 2 and 6 billion Sm3 recoverable gas. This is the largest discovery made on the Norwegian shelf so far this year.
Further north in the Åsgard area, gas/condensate was proven in well 6407/1-7 in the Lange formation in the Lower Cretaceous. Preliminary estimates indicate that the discovery contains between 1 and 4 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalents.
Further north, just south of the Heidrun field, Faroe Petroleum Norge has made a minor oil and gas discovery in well 6507/10-2 S in the Garn formation in the Middle Jurassic. The preliminary estimate is that this discovery contains between 1 and 2.5 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalents.
Barents Sea
Three discoveries have been made in the Barents Sea. Northwest of the Johan Castberg discovery, Statoil found gas in well 7220/4-1 in the StØ and Nordmela formations in the Jurassic, and deeper in the Snadd formation in the Triassic. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 2 and 4 million Sm3 recoverable gas.
Further south in the same area in well 7220/7-3, Statoil discovered gas in the StØ formation and oil deeper in the StØ and Nordmela formations. Preliminary estimates indicate that this discovery is between 7 and 10 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalents.
Northeast of the SnØhvit area, Det norske oljeselskap proved a small volume of oil in well 7222/11-2. The discovery was made in the Kobbe formation in the Triassic.
Eight exploration wells are currently being drilled on the Norwegian shelf -- four wildcat wells and four appraisal wells. Some of these will soon be completed, one of which is well 6406/12-3 A, operated by VNG. This well is being drilled on the Bue prospect near well 6406/12-3 S, where VNG recently proved gas and oil in the Pil prospect southwest of the Njord field in the Norwegian Sea.
In the Barents Sea, three wells are nearing completion. Well 7324/7-2, operated by OMV Norge, is being drilled near the 7324/8-1 discovery, (Wisting Central), which OMV proved in 2013. Both well 7324/7-2 and the Statoil-operated well 7325/1-1 are being drilled in the Hoop area in the northern Barents Sea.
Appraisal well 7120/1-4 S is also nearing completion. This well is being drilled by Lundin Norway on the 7120/1-3 (Gohta) discovery north of the SnØhvit area. This discovery was proven in 2013.
Robust exploration activity is expected to continue for the remainder of the year, with exploration wells planned in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea.
No plans for development and operation have been submitted for discoveries on the Norwegian shelf in the first half of 2014.
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
Bourbon faces Ebola damage in Nigeria amid loss in first half TARA PATEL PARIS, France (Bloomberg) Bourbon SA, which runs supply and crew ships for the offshore energy industry, swung to a first half loss and said its operations in
MOSCOW (Bloomberg) -- OAO Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer, has made a discovery at Ghana’s offshore Cape Three points project, according to a person with direct knowledge of the development.
Vaalco Energy provides update on offshore Gabon operations HOUSTON, Texas Vaalco Energy, Inc. provided an update on recent activities offshore Gabon. Production from the Etame Marin block has resumed after the successful completion of previously reported maintenance work on the
Statoil will increase the Oseberg Øst field recovery rate by means of a drilling campaign starting up in the summer of 2015.
On July 2 it was made public that Prosafe Offshore has been awarded a contract for the use of Safe Scandinavia in connection with this campaign. Support vessel Safe Scandinavia is currently a flotel, but it will be modified to enable it to store and treat drilling fluid and cuttings as the drilling operations take place.
Transferring treatment capacity from Oseberg Øst to Safe Scandinavia will enable greater amounts of drilling fluid and cuttings to be stored. The support vessel will help make drilling operations more efficient, and enable longer wells to be drilled than is currently the case.
The drilling of new wells is an important measure towards boosting recovery rates and doubling the lifetime of the Oseberg Øst field.
“We are expecting to increase the recovery rate on Oseberg Øst from around 20% to up to 30% when we drill the first planned wells. We also have the possibility of drilling more wells and further increasing the recovery rate towards 40%, which is almost double the rate in the plan for development and operation. As operator we are determined to ensure the greatest possible recovery of profitable barrels, and are pleased that the license has taken this important decision,” says Kjetil Hove, S.V.P. for operations in Statoil' s Development & Production Norway business area.
The contract is of three years’ duration with the option of extending the contract, by one year at a time, for four years. Safe Scandinavia will be modified by Westcon in Ølensvåg.
“We have worked intensively to achieve profitability in this project, which is time critical in terms of recovering remaining resources, and are satisfied at having come up with a good concept. Our solution also provides the possibility of developing the field in the longer term,” adds Hove.
Oseberg Øst is the smallest of the platforms in the Oseberg area. It is situated 25 km northeast of the Oseberg field center. Field development includes an integrated drilling, accommodation and production platform with equipment for first-phase processing. The field’s reservoirs are layered and there is limited communication between the layers, which makes recovery demanding compared with the other Oseberg fields.
Statoil has a 49.30% license share in Oseberg Øst. The other partners are Petoro (33.6%), Total E&P Norge (14.70%) and ConocoPhillips Skandinavia (2.4%).
Providing useful resources, articles and writings on crude oil, other petroleum products, energy and gas. By ExportGeneral Corporation and services, UK, online.
BG Egypt enhances gas infrastructure to bring new wells on at West Delta Deep Marine concession CAIRO, Egypt BG Egypt is enhancing the country’s gas infrastructure with an upgraded well control system enabling it to bring new wells on in
