Drilling News

 

BHI offshore rig count for North America

Jun 06, 2014

Today's Baker Hughes North American offshore rotary rig count listed 58 rigs operating this week, down 2 rigs from a week ago but up 2 rigs from a year ago (4% year-over-year increase). Gulf of Mexico The majority, 56 rigs, are working in the Gulf of Mexico…

Brattec: Petrobras executives talk about Libra

Jun 06, 2014

The magnitude of the Libra area was the main highlight of Wednesday, May 7 at Brattec Offshore 2014, an event organized by the Brazil-Texas Chamber of Commerce. Petrobras’ executive manager for Libra, Anelise Lara, talked about the reservoir’s characteristics and the area’s development prospects…

Total contracts Ocean Rig drillship

Jun 05, 2014

Ocean Rig UDW Inc., a subsidiary of Athens-based DryShips Inc., announced that it signed a six-year contract with Total E&P Angola for drilling operations in Block 32 offshore Angola, using the ultra-deepwater drillship  Ocean Rig Skyros…

Australia awards 9 offshore exploration permits

Jun 05, 2014

Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane announced the award of nine new permits located in Commonwealth waters offshore Western Australia, Victoria, and the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands as part of round one of the Australian government’s 2013 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release…

Repsol restarts Namibia drilling

Jun 05, 2014

Repsol restarted drilling on the deepwater Welwitschia-1A well in Walvis Bay, offshore Namibia, on 4 June, according to partner Tower Resources.  Repsol is operator of Namibia PEL0010, containing Welwitschia. Drilling on the first Welwitschia well…

Statoil ends Ocean Vanguard contract

Jun 04, 2014

Statoil terminated its contract with Diamond Offshore Drilling's mid-water semisubmersible the Ocean Vanguard eight months ahead of schedule, the Houston-based shipowner announced on 4 June 2014. Statoil's Communication Manager Ørjan…

Bit by bit

Jun 03, 2014

The doors leading to the exhibit halls, where more than 1355 exhibitors were present. Images from SPE.  Sarah Parker Musarra reviews the 2014 International Association of Drilling Contractors/…

Systematic sampling

Jun 03, 2014

PROD on a rare sunny day west of Shetlands. Photo from Benthic.  Benthic's Alan Foley, discusses the company's seabed drilling and sampling system, the Portable Remotely Operated Drill (PROD)…

TAO-1 spud nears

Jun 03, 2014

Australia-based Tangiers Petroleum says the Ralph Coffman jackup rig is on location offshore Morocco and close to spudding the Tao-1 well in the Tarfaya Offshore Block. The rig was loaded onto the heavy lift vessel MV Transshelf on the 25 May 2014…

AWE drills Oi exploration well

Jun 03, 2014

Australia’s AWE Limited announced that drilling on the Oi-1 exploration well in the Tui area oil fields, located off New Zealand in the Taranaki Basin, commenced on 30 May with the semisubmersible Kan Tan IV. Oi-1 is located approximately…

Noble Paul Romano spuds Malta well

Jun 03, 2014

Operator Genel Energy's Malta subsidiary Phoenicia Energy Co. announced on 30 May that the Noble Paul Romano deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig is moored on location and has commenced drilling Hagar Qim-1. The well is being drilled in 1476ft of water in Block 7 of Area 4 off Malta…

Nido starts drilling off Philippines

Jun 02, 2014

Nido Petroleum Ltd., on behalf of SC 63 joint venture partners state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) and Dragon Oil Ltd., announced that the Baragatan-1A well was spudded May 25. The wellsite is in Service Contract 63…

Statoil plans VSP at deepwater Miocene well

Jun 02, 2014

Drilling continues at Statoil's Martin prospect in Mississippi Canyon Block 718 with the Maersk Developer semisubmersible, in 850m (2789ft) water depth. Statoil plans to run a zero-offset vertical seismic profile (VSP) survey on or before 15 August 2014…

Poor show on Verdande

Jun 02, 2014

Noreco is in the process of completing drilling of the Verdande well 6608/10-16 (PL484) in the Norwegian Sea. The firm said hydrocarbon shows were found in two sections, but that well will be plugged and abandoned without further testing…

Total inks West Jupiter for Egina

Jun 02, 2014

Seadrill has won a contract with Total Upstream Nigeria for use of its newbuild ultra-deepwater drillship West Jupiter (pictured), in support of the Egina ultra-deep offshore project in Nigeria. The contract is for five years and is worth about US$1…

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