Japan's Inpex has made its first move into Norway by agreeing to acquire a 40% stake in PL767 in the western Barents Sea from Bayerngas Norge. Map of PL767, from Inpex. The license…
Operator Statoil has decided to side-track the Verbier exploration well in the Moray Firth of the UK North Sea, despite reaching a water bearing reservoir in the original target. Wireline log data suggested indications of the potential…
Cyprus' Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism has said Total's Onesiphoros West 1 exploration well offshore Cyprus had gas shows in a carbonate reservoir but not in commercial quantities. Despite being non-commercial, the government said the discovery was 'highly positive…
GulfSlope Energy and Texas South Energy have jointly executed an exclusive letter of intent (LOI) with a large international oil and gas company to drill and develop a minimum of three wildcats in the Gulf of Mexico. The deal comes with…
Borr Drilling accepted a letter of intent from BW Energy Dussafu (BWE), a subsidiary of BW Offshore, for a drilling campaign offshore Gabon. Borr’s premium, high-specification jackup Norve will be utilized to drill and complete two subsea development wells…
Byron Energy has signed a drilling contract with Ensco Offshore for the Ensco 68 jackup rig to drill at the company’s South Marsh Island Block 71 drilling and completion program in the Gulf of Mexico. Ensco 68 jackup…
Statoil's Verbier exploration probe in the Moray Firth has disappointed, with the well intersecting a water bearing reservoir at target depth. Partner Jersey Oil & Gas, with 18% interest in well 20/05b-13, on license P.2170 license in blocks 20/05b and 21/1d…
Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has given Statoil consent to use the Songa Equinox mobile drilling facility to drill well 31/2-S-24 AY1H on the Troll field. Songa Equinox. Image from Songa Offshore…
Azinor Catalyst has failed to encounter hydrocarbon at its well on the Partridge prospect in the North Sea, leading the company to stall its plans to drill at the Agar and Plantain prospects. Map of well 14/11a-2 in P1989…
Hyperdynamics failed to encounter hydrocarbons at its Fatala-1 well offshore the Republic of Guinea in Northwest Africa, in what the company thought was to be a “potential world-class hydrocarbon discovery.” Map from Hyperdynamics…
One of the most anticipated exploration wells in Europe this year was the multi-billion barrel potential Arctic Korpfjell prospect in the Barents Sea. While the probe, completed late September, didn't prove commercial volumes, the region…
Eni has inked the Saipem 12000 drillship for drilling the RD-1 well in the Rabat Deep Offshore license, offshore Morocco. Partner Chariot Oil & Gas says the RD-1 well will target the JP-1 prospect using the with drilling due to start in the latter part of Q1 2018…
Deep Gulf Energy III (DGE III) has encountered hydrocarbon pay at the Rampart Deep well in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, according to partner Stone Energy. Deepwater Asgard. Image from Transocean…
Semco Maritime has won a contract to upgrade the West Elara jackup rig for a new, long-term assignment for ConocoPhillips, starting in 2018, in the Norwegian North Sea. The contract is the largest for Semco Maritime's Hanøytangen yard to date…
Centrica has awarded Island Drilling the contract for drilling an appraisal well at the Fogelberg discovery. The Island Innovator drilling rig is scheduled to start operations at Fogelberg in the Norwegian Sea in February/March 2018. The…