Jerry Lee reports on new guidelines for managed pressure drilling operations due out this year from both ABS and API. Pacific Drilling’s Pacific Santa Ana drillship, classed by ABS, has been outfitted…
Golder Associates’ Ken Been explains the best approach to geotechnical engineering and pipeline construction when facing scours and pits in the Arctic ice. Fig. 1: Ice scouring. Over the coming decades…
Orderbooks reflect reined-in spending based on conservative near-term oil price estimates. ABS’ James Graf sets out the detail. MODU new construction projects through 4Q/14. Source: ABS. Weak demand…
Over supply of oil, diminishing returns and an increasing rig fleet will challenge rig operators in 2015. Rystad Energy’s Joachim Bjørni and Oddmund Føre look for a ray of light. Graphs from Rystad. Throughout 2014…
A number of organizations have been looking at ways to reduce energy use and emissions offshore. Sintef has been working on a waste heat recovery project, focusing on gas compressors, with research involving operators and equipment vendors…
Area 4 is the jewel in Italian explorer Eni’s African crown. Meg Chesshyre reports on the company’s plans to get its large gas discoveries off Mozambique to market. Map of Mozambique. From EIA. Mozambique’s…
The latest drilling campaign offshore the Falkland Islands is expected to start next month, partner Falkland Oil and Gas (FOGL) said this morning. Announcing that the rig for the campaign, Ocean Rig's Eirik Raude drilling rig has started mobilization from West Africa…
James Onifade discusses how the first managed pressure drilling operation for an African operator accurately detected and circulated a small influx out of the well, without having to shut it in or threatening the safety of the rig crew. The…
Shell has its sights set for Arctic exploration this year by spending US$1 billion, after being absent since 2012. Ben Van Beurden. From Shell. The supermajor announced in its 4Q 2014…
The International Well Control Forum (IWCF) launched a new training standard in drilling and well intervention for top achieving candidates and is urging operators to get involved. Image of Dave Price…
Karoon Gas Australia completed the down-dip side-track drilling of the Kangaroo-2 well, offshore Brazil. The Olinda Star. From Karoon. Kangaroo-2 is located in exploration Block S-M-1165…
Maersk Drilling has taken delivery of its third ultra harsh environment jackup, XLE-3, from the Keppel FELS shipyard in Singapore, ahead of schedule. The rig (pictured) will start her mobilisation to the Norwegian North Sea late February…
McDermott’s Derrick Barge 50 (DB50) completed the installation of a drilling and production platform that included the heavy lift of a 3250-tonne jacket in the Gulf of Mexico. The DB50 installation…
AeroGo debuted its portable Aero-Caster rigging kit for the oil and gas industry. The kit is designed to accommodate load configurations up to 40ft long and 64,000 lbs. It stores easily in a waterproof case and is compact. The…
Suncor Energy Norge received consent from the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway to drill at exploration well 34/4 in the Norwegian Sea. The well is located in the Suncor-operated production license 375, in Block 34/4. Drilling will begin this month for a period of 154 days…