Fugro has begun a three-year period of metocean and ice data acquisition as part of the Barents Sea Metocean and Ice Network Project. The data will help operators to better understand relevant operational uncertainties and risk factors…
Pura Vida Energy has taken over operatorship in the Ambilobe block, offshore Madagascar, east Africa, following the withdrawal of Sterling Energy from the license. The move means Pura Vida now also has 100% interest in the license and means additional strategic options will be available…
Landmark, a Halliburton (HAL) business line and provider of exploration and production software, has released of EDT 5000.14 (Engineer’s Desktop), an upgrade to its integrated suite of well construction applications. The new EDT delivers…
US-based driller Atwood Oceanics has sold its semisubmersible drilling rig Atwood Falcon for recycling and scheduled the Atwood Eagle semisubmersible to be idled in May. The Atwood Eagle is in transit to Singapore and is being marketed…
Drilling giant Transocean swung back into profit in Q1 2016, despite revenues having hemorrhaged compared to Q1 2015. Rig utilization was 51% in Q1, compared with 60% in the prior quarter, and 79% in the same period last year. Utilization is lowest in the ultra-deepwater floater segment…
Cobalt International has struck its sixth pre-salt discovery offshore Angola. The firm made a 'significant condensate and gas' discovery on the Zalophus #1 pre-salt exploration well in Block 20 offshore Angola. It is the firm's third discovery on Block 20…
US-based explorer Kosmos Energy has agreed to farm-out a one third stake in its Block 42 contract area offshore Suriname to Hess. In return, Hess will fully fund the cost of a 6500sq km 3D seismic survey, expected to start in Q3 this year…
Dutch designer GustoMSC has launched its GustoMSC SmartCrane at this year's OTC in Houston. Gusto says the crane offers features to directly address the call for cost reduction from operators, while enabling increased efficiency and simultaneous operations (SIMOPS)…
Houston-based Anadarko Petroleum has successfully drilled its first horizontal deepwater well offshore the Ivory Coast. The firm encountered 100ft net of true vertical thickness (TVT) pay on the Paon-5A well using Bolette Dolphin drillship…
This year, the deepwater drilling record could be broken not just once, but twice, breaking the last record, set back in 2013. Elaine Maslin takes a look. Total’s Raya-1 well is due to be drilled offshore Uruguay using Maersk Oil’s ultra…
Ultra-deepwater exploration on the Atlantic margin could be the opportunity the offshore industry is looking for, according to geoscience firm Spectrum. Elaine Maslin reports. Maersk Venturer drillship…
Quest Offshore assesses the drilling, subsea, and marine construction dynamics affecting of one of the world’s pre-eminent deepwater basins amid the downturn. The Gulf of Mexico has long been a region of critical importance to the global deepwater industry…
Ken Richardson and Ian Simpson, of ABS, review current deepwater drillship designs and technologies. Friede & Goldman’s DS3810 deepwater drillship design, which is being evaluated by ABS for AIP…
Remaining competitive through the downturn is a tall order for some. Caitlin Shaw, of Quest Offshore Resources, examines how the exploration, drilling and subsea segments are expected to fare through 2017. The…
Weatherford’s Snorre Lutnes examines managed pressure drilling applications across key regions. MPD deployment. Images from Weatherford. Once reserved as a last resort for wells defined as undrillable…