Exploration News


Eni CEO, Mozambique president discuss progress

Apr 02, 2014

Eni CEO Paolo Scaroni outlined the Italian company’s exploration progress and activities within the country to the President of the Republic of Mozambique Armando Guebuza. Eni announced that the “possibility of enlarging the shareholder base of Area 4 was favorably received by the President…

Statoil's reach in Espirito Santo widens

Mar 28, 2014

Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) cleared Statoil to enter the São Bernardo discovery in Espírito Santo (pictured, image courtesy Statoil), the Norwegian company announced. The São Bernardo oil discovery…

Myanmar announces offshore winners

Mar 26, 2014

The government of Myanmar (Burma) has  named Chevron, BG Group, Statoil, Woodside Energy, Shell, and ENI, among others, as selected candidates for its 2013 offshore licensing round. The move follows the lifting of Western sanctions in 2012…

Visund hit for Statoil

Mar 19, 2014

Statoil Petroleum has discovered hydrocarbons in wildcat well 34/8-17 S in production license 120 in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The well was drilled on the north-east flank of the Visund field, in the northern part of the North Sea…

Cairn holds back 2015 plans

Mar 18, 2014

Cairn Energy has said it is committed to its planned 2014 operations, but that spending beyond then is being looked at closely as its awaits resolution of tax issues in India. The Edinburgh-based firm says spending beyond 2014 would depend…

Moroccan heavy oil dampener

Mar 17, 2014

Cairn Energy's JM-1 well, offshore Morocco, is to be plugged and abandoned without testing, after funding heavy oil.  The JM-1 well (operated by Cairn with 37.5% WI) was drilled to evaluate Upper Jurassic and Middle Jurassic objectives…

Petrel awarded Atlantic margin blocks

Mar 04, 2014

Petrel Resources has been awarded Frontier Exploration Licenses (FEL) 3/14 and 4/14 in the Irish Atlantic Porcupine basin. The acreage licensed collectively covers about 1050sq km or 75% of the 1400sq km previously held under Licensing Options 11/4 and 11/6…

Cairn founder to retire

Mar 03, 2014

Sir Bill Gammell, the founder and now non-executive chairman of Edinburgh-based exploration firm Cairn Energy, has announced he is to retire on May 15, at the company's AGM. Sir Bill founded Cairn and was appointed to the board as chief executive on its initial listing in 1988…

Atwood Achiever inked for Morocco drilling

Mar 03, 2014

Pura Vida Energy says a rig share agreement has been signed for the drilling of two wells in the Mazagan permit offshore Morocco by the Atwood Achiever deepwater Drillship. The Atwood Achiever is contracted to Kosmos Energy under a long term hire arrangement…

Statoil boosts Tanzanian LNG prospects

Mar 03, 2014

Statoil and co-venturer ExxonMobil have carried out a successful first drill stem test on their Tanzania Block 2 offshore discovery Zafarani-2. The data acquired will help reduce technical uncertainties in a possible future Tanzania offshore and LNG development…

Barents Langlitinden well disappoints

Mar 03, 2014

Det norske oljeselskap is to plug and abandon its exploration well on the Langlitinden prospect after getting disappointing results. The well was the first well in Barents Sea production license 659. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) said the well…

Tullow acquires North Sea permit

Feb 27, 2014

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has issued a drilling permit to Tullow Oil Norge for well 31/2-21 S, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Management Regulations. Well 31/2-21 S will be drilled from the Borgland Dolphin drilling facility in position 60° 58'16…

Barryroe potential grows

Feb 18, 2014

Partners on the Standard Exploration Licence (SEL) 1/11, offshore Ireland,containing the Barryroe oil field, have been granted an extension to the license. The partners Providence Resources (operator with 80% WI) and Lansdowne Oil & Gas…

Solberg drilling starts

Feb 03, 2014

The Solberg prospect, operated by Germany's Wintershall (35% equity), is 4km northeast of the Tyrihans field and 8km southeast of UK-based explorer Faroe Petroleum’s Maria discovery (2010). Drilling is being carried out using the…

Rocksource CFO to leave

Jan 29, 2014

Norwegian exploration firm Rocksource has announced plans to consolidate all its operations to its Bergen head office.  As a result of the move, which was decided after a strategic review, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, since it was founded in 2004…

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