Phoenicia Energy Co. Ltd. informed Mediterranean Oil & Gas plc (MOG) that the Noble Paul Romano deepwater semisubmersible is moored in Valletta Harbor and is undergoing final inspection and acceptance tests before it begins drilling the Hagar Qim-1 wildcat in Block 7 of Area 4 offshore Malta…
Poor weather and high costs have impacted Q1 exploration and appraisal drilling activity on the UK Continental Shelf, according to a report by Deloitte. The report, which details activity across North West Europe during Q1, was compiled by Deloitte’s Petroleum Services Group (PSG)…
The latest Johan Sverdrup appraisal well 16/2-19 has found 6m of good quality oil filled sandstone of lower Jurassic/upper Triassic age in the Geitungen area in the north eastern part of the Johan Sverdrup discovery, according to Lundin Petroleum…
Three newbuild jackups based on the XL Enhanced design will hit the market in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Photo from Maersk Drilling. A number of rig providers are increasing their fleet with builds over the next three years…
Dealing with the by-products of oil and gas drilling in an environmentally friendly manner is an issue the energy industry has grappled with for years. It is one that has captured the imagination of one Robert Gordon University (RGU)…
Pemex has contracted with Houston-based Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. for an additional semisubmersible drilling rig, according to DODI's fleet status report issued yesterday. The Ocean Ambassador semisub, built in 1975, is rated to work in 1100ft water depth…
Cyprus-based Songa Offshore SE, an international midwater drilling contractor active in the North Atlantic basin, has chosen to deploy IFS Applications for Offshore Service to support its onshore and offshore operations. The contract includes…
Repsol Exploration (Namibia) has started drilling operations on the deepwater Welwitschia-1 prospect in Walvis Bay, offshore Namibia, this week, according to partner Tower Resources, via its Neptune Petroleum (Namibia) subsidiary. The well was spudded on April 24…
A slowdown in 2014 drilling will be short-lived, according to Noble Corporation, which posted growing margins thanks to its expanding fleet, with another four units due for delivery by the end of 2014. Noble’s chairman, president and CEO…
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's Alaska region director Mark Fesmire participated in a panel discussion yesterday (April 17) in Washington, D.C. on applying lessons learned for drilling in the Arctic. During the discussion…
Total has made a 'very promising' light oil discovery in 2300m water depth as part of an intensive exploration campaign off Ivory Coast. The Saphir-1XB exploration well, the first exploration well on Block CI-514, is the first discovery in the San Pedro basin…
Total E&P announced today that its Saphir-1XB exploration well on Block CI-514 tested light oil in deep water off Africa's Ivory Coast. “Drilled in an abrupt margin play, this first well is the first discovery in the San Pedro Basin…
Drilling has begun on the FAN-1 exploration well, offshore Senegal, using Transocean's fifth-generation semisubmersible, Cajun Express. The rig arrived on-site Saturday, 12 April, and drilling operations on the FAN-1 well are expected to last approximately two months…
Maersk Drilling’s second drillship, Maersk Valiant, has started its voyage to the US Gulf of Mexico (GOM) today after being delivered from Samsung Heavy Industries' (SHI) shipyard in Geoje-Si, South-Korea. Maersk Valiant (pictured) will…
AWE Ltd. recently announced that preparations are being made to drill a second sidetrack on the Pateke-4H development well, offshore New Zealand. Operations have been unable to drill past an obstruction in the lower portion of the first…