Drilling News


Quadrant secures rig for Phoenix-3 drilling

Jul 18, 2017

Quadrant Energy has agreed a contract with Transocean to drill the Phoenix South-3 well in the WA-435-P exploration permit on the North-West Shelf of Australia.   Drilling is due to start between 1 February and 1 April 2018 using the GSF Development Driller-1…

Statoil hits gas at Blåmann in Barents

Jul 17, 2017

Statoil and partners Eni and Petoro have made a small gas discovery in the Blåmann well, between the Snøhvit and Goliat fields in the Barents Sea, despite having been looking for oil. The Songa Enabler…

Total to continue drilling off Bulgaria

Jul 14, 2017

Total has hired Noble Corp.'s Noble Globetrotter II to drill one well offshore Bulgaria, beginning in September. Noble Globetrotter II. Image from Noble. The contract is estimated…

Aker BP targets PDO trio this year

Jul 14, 2017

Aker BP is preparing to submit plans for development and operation (PDO) for three of its projects by the end of 2017, and for the North of Alvheim and Askja-Krafla (NOAKA) project in 2018. Valhall Flank West…

Aker BP to drill at Hyrokkin with Maersk Interceptor

Jul 13, 2017

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has given Aker BP consent to drill two wildcat wells in the North Sea at the Hyrokkin prospect. Aker BP consent to drill exploration wells 25/4-11 and 25/4-12, which is north of Alvheim. The…

BOEM approves Eni's Alaska drilling plans

Jul 13, 2017

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has approved Eni’s exploration plan (EP) to drill four wildcats at the company’s Spy Island Drillsite (SID) in the Beaufort Sea. Map of Spy Island…

Eni ups Mexico's Amoca to 1 billion boe

Jul 12, 2017

Eni has increased its estimate of resources in place at the Amoca field offshore Mexico to 1 billion boe, following a successful appraisal well that is prompting the Italian giant to accelerate its development plan. Map from Eni…

Borr bags Total Nigeria deal

Jul 11, 2017

Newcomer Borr Drilling has landed its first deal with a supermajor. Borr and its Nigerian partner company Valiant Energy Services West received a letter of commitment from Total E&P Nigeria for the Frigg jackup. The deal is for a firm one-year period with a possible extension…

Ensco lands three West Africa contracts

Jul 11, 2017

Ensco has been awarded three drillship contracts offshore West Africa, representing an aggregate three years of contracted term and more than six additional years of options. ENSCO DS-4 is expected to start a two-year contract with Chevron offshore Nigeria in August 2017…

Lundin Norway hires COSLInnovator

Jul 11, 2017

COSL Drilling Europe has been able to rescue to of its rigs from warm stacking this month. The company announced a new contract from Lundin Norway for the use of the COSLInnovator to drill one well, with the addition of an option of eight wells…

Cairn completes FAN South-1, moves to next SNE probe

Jul 11, 2017

Cairn Energy is to plug and abandon its FAN South-1 well in the South Fan prospect offshore Senegal, and move to its next drilling target in the region, the SNE North, or Sirius, prospect. FAN South-1 was drilled in ~2175m water depth…

Statoil to drill at Koigen Central in Barents

Jul 10, 2017

Noway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has approved for Statoil to drill exploration well 7317/9-1 in the Barents Sea. The wildcat is in a prospect named Koigen Central, in production license 718, in which Statoil is the operator. Drilling will begin in August 2017 at the earliest…

Statoil's Flemish Pass campaign disappoints

Jul 10, 2017

Statoil and partner Husky Energy have failed to discover hydrocarbons in the Flemish Pass Basin, offshore Newfoundland, the Norwegian giant announced today (10 July). The West Aquarius. Image from Seadrill…

OMV to drill Barents wildcat

Jul 06, 2017

OMV (Norge) AS has received consent from Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) to drill an exploration well in block 7324/8 in the Barents Sea. Island Innovator. Image from Island Drilling…

Anadarko axes Bolette Dolphin contract

Jul 05, 2017

US Independent Anadarko Petroleum has terminated its contract with Dolphin Drilling's Bolette Dolphin drillship, the drilling contractor announced on 2 July. Dolphin, a subsidiary of Fred. Olsen Energy, said the termination will be effective at the end of August 2017…

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