The shaky economic recovery could be threatened if US energy policies push up prices, ExxonMobil chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson said in Houston last month.‘You can raise taxes, raise royalties – it's going to ultimately increase the cost of energy…
The scheduled 2012 lease sale offshore Virginia will proceed, even without the environmental impact studies necessary to allow oil & gas exploration in place, according to MMS director Liz Burnham.The sale – the first on the US Atlantic OCS…
The oil & gas industry and analysts greeted President Obama’s offshore drilling plan as a step in the right direction. But subsequent events surrounding the Deepwater Horizon disaster (see Heavy losses in Horizon tragedy ) could complicate matters…
When the P-61 tension leg wellhead platform (TLWP) begins operations at Petrobras' Papa Terra offshore Brazil in 2013, it will be the new kid on the block in more ways than one. Not only will the deepwater unit be the first TLWP facility off Brazil…
Non-productive time (NPT) associated with control systems software and hardware integration remains a significant drain on high-spec offshore asset costs, according to a study released last month.The study, by the Athens Group and ModuSpec,…
OE ’s analysis of current rig market data is updated monthly using statistics provided by Rigzone.comUtilization for the worldwide mobile offshore drilling fleet continues to track in the 74-75% range, about 7% below year ago levels. Global…
With well costs escalating to consume up to half of a project’s funding, operators are seeking ways to trim costs. During IADC’s Deepwater Drilling conference in Rio de Janeiro in March, operators discussed some of their strategies to trim costs…
Two recently published reports point to a speedy recovery for offshore E&P. The deepwater sector of the oil & gas business should recover quickly from the economic downturn and resume the growth the sector enjoyed before the recession, suggests a new report from Douglas-Westwood…
Two competing gas transportation projects in southern Europe could be combined to increase the future security of European gas supply, Eni chief executive Paolo Scaroni told CeraWeek attendees in Houston in March. According to Scaroni, combining…
Compact Azipod units promise the means of producing more efficient thrust for drilling vessels, saving fuel cost and cutting emissions. OE hears from developer ABB Marine.Bunker prices for the IFO380 grade fuel used by the majority of ships were on the rise at time of writing…
The trend toward putting more and more production equipment on the seabed – and in increasingly deeper waters – strongly challenges the offshore construction industry to continuously improve their ability to perform such activities in a safe and cost-effective manner…
Japan Drilling Company’s semisubmersible drilling rig Hakuryu-5 was recently upgraded with Exmar Offshore’s Deepdish pontoon sponson, an innovative combination of pontoon sponsons and integrated cross bracing designed to increase the capabilities and operating life of ageing rigs…
Mounted onboard the GDF Suez E&P Nederland chartered multi-purpose supply vessel REM Mermaid, Offshore Solutions BV’s offshore access system has notched up over 1000 operational connections without any lost time incidents. The OAS, a heave compensated…
Flotel specialist Prosafe expects a good long-term demand for its accommodation rigs, with growth in activity in the North Sea from spring 2011 and in deepwater regions. Meg Chesshyre reviews recent developments at the world’s leading owner and operator of semisubmersible accommodation rigs…
Since Heerema Marine Contractors introduced its Incident & Injury Free initiative in 2008 for both its own personnel (offshore and onshore) and the subcontractors they work with, reactions from clients and contractors have been very positive and the results have been impressive…