CGG surveys GOM for Pemex
CGG has been selected to carry out a large high-end seismic acquisition survey in the Gulf of Mexico on behalf of Pemex. The survey, in Mexican waters, is phase 5 in Pemex’s Centauro program, the largest ever proprietary 3D wide-azimuth program to be conducted worldwide, says CGG. Phase 5 will add 6850sq km of data to the existing 25,000sq km already acquired since Centauro began in October 2010, bringing the total volume to almost 32,000sq km.
Halvorsen sends WHRU to Mexico
Halvorsen Kanfa-Tec recently finished and shipped four 20MW Circular Waste Heat Recovery Units (WHRU) to Mexico. The highly efficient WHRUs, in terms of weight and volume, will be utilized by Pemex in the Cantarel Complex in the Gulf of Mexico. The Akal C4 units are recovering maximum heat from the gas turbine exhaust and therefore highly improving the environmental conditions on the platform.
White Rose expansion planned offshore Canada
Husky Energy expects gas injection to start before year-end at the South White Rose extension offshore Newfoundland. South White Rose is tied back to the SeaRose FPSO, with first oil anticipated by end-2014. The company also signed a benefits agreement with the government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the West White Rose development aiming to boost oil production. Detailed engineering is under way for a new fixed wellhead platform. First oil is planned for West Whtie Rose in the 2017 timeframe.Aker supplies
Jack/St. Malo umbilicals
Aker Solutions will provide umbilicals for the second stage of the Chevron’ Jack and St. Malo developments, located in the US Gulf of Mexico. The two electro-hydraulic dynamic steel tube umbilicals will each measure 80,000ft (24,384m) in length and will be used to control a subsea production system. Aker will also provide hardware, including terminations, bend stiffeners and buoyancy modules. The umbilicals will be installed at a depth of 7,500ft (2,286m).
Irish round opens 2014
Ireland’s next Atlantic Margin oil and gas exploration licensing round is to be announced following a review of the country’s oil and gas fiscal terms, due to be completed early 2014, the country’s government has announced. The round is scheduled to open in April 2014, and will close in September 2015.
Siri production to restart in 2014
Norwegian Energy Company ASA (Noreco) expected to restart production from the Siri platform, offshore Denmark, in Q2 2014. Production from the platform will be at reduced volumes until the Siri platform is permanently repaired, said Noreco. Denmark’s DONG Energy is operator and 100% owner of Siri platform, which was shut in during June this year after a crack was discovered in a bulkhead inside the tank sponson. Oil from the Nini, Nini East and Cecilie fields, in which Noreco has 30%, 30% and 61% stakes respectively, is normally processed, stored and shipped by tanker from the Siri platform.
First oil for Ekofisk
First oil on the Ekofisk South project in the Norwegian North Sea has started. The project will increase oil recovery in the Ekofisk field, located in the PL 018 license and operated by ConocoPhillips. Production capacity at Ekofisk South is 70,000 boe/d. Ekofisk South comprises the Ekofisk 2/4 Z wellhead platform with 35 production wells and a seabed installation for eight water injection wells. The platform was built by Aker Solutions in Egersund, Norway. Water injection started in May 2013, and is controlled from an operations center at ConocoPhillips’ offices in Tananger, Norway.
Noble surveys offshore Falkland Islands
Noble Energy Inc. and partner Falkland Oil & Gas (FOGL) have started a 3D seismic survey over its license areas to the south and east of the Falkland Islands using the PGS Ramform Titan. On completion of the latest survey, Noble and FOGL will have acquired more than 10,000km sq 3D data equivalent to more than 40 North Sea blocks. Both companies plan to start drilling operations in the basin in late 2014.
Wisting Alternative wildcat classified dry
A wildcat well drilled 5km northwest of the recent Wisting Central oil discovery in the Barents Sea has been classified as dry, says the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Well 7324/7-1 S, known as Wisting Alternative, is in production license 537 and was operated by OMV (Norway) AS. It was targeting petroleum in the Middle Triassic reservoir rocks (the Kobbe formation). A secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks from the Middle to Late Triassic (the Snadd formation). Reservoir rocks were encountered in the Kobbe and Snadd formations, but with poorer than expected properties.
Shell consortium wins 35-yr PSC for Libra pre-salt
A consortium of companies, including Royal Dutch Shell plc, Petrobras, Total, CNPC and CNOOC, won today a 35-year production sharing contract to develop the giant Libra pre-salt oil discovery located in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil. The Brazilian regulator, Agência Nacional do Petróleo (ANP), estimates Libra’s recoverable resources at 8 billion to 12 billion bbl of oil.
Papa Terra starts production
Chevron Corporation’s Brazilian subsidiary and Petrobras have started crude oil production from Papa- Terra’s floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) offshore Brazil. Papa-Terra is about 110km southeast of Rio de Janeiro in about 3900ft water depth (1,190m), and is a heavy oil development within Block BC-20 of the southern Campos basin. Papa-Terra has installed capacity to produce 140,000 bbl/d.
PetroChina buys out Petrobras in Peru
Beijing-based PetroChina Co. Ltd. announced that two of its subsidiaries will purchase the Peruvian assets of Petrobras for US$2.6billion (HK$20.16billion). The PetroChina companies will take over two three blocks in Peru, two wholly owned by the Brazilian state-run Petrobras, and one jointly owned Petrobras and Repsol Exploración Perú S.A.
Pura Vida enters Madagascar
Australia’s Pura Vida has agreed a farm-in deal giving it a 50% stake in the Ambilobe area office Madagascar, east Africa. The firm has also finalized a farm-out deal offshore Morocco. Sterling Energy will retain 50% interest and operatorship. Pura Vida says the Ambilobe block has a variety of plays, relating to salt, with potential for large oil discoveries. New seismic data will now be acquired in the area.
Exxon gets Madagascar extensions
ExxonMobil Corp. has received extensions on three of its production sharing contract licenses offshore Madagascar, the company announced on 6 November 2013. The supermajor said the extensions will enable the resumption of exploration activities on the Ampasindava, Majunga and Cap Saint Andre licenses.
Cobalt International strikes offshore Angola
Cobalt International Energy has made two discoveries at its Lontra #1 and Mavinga #1 deepwater pre-salt exploratory wells offshore Angola. On Block 20, the Lontra #1 well confirmed an oil and gas discovery. Block 21 has made the Mavinga #1 presalt oil discovery. The well found about 100ft of net oil pay. The Mavinga discovery is expected to be tied-back to and become part of the planned Cameia development complex in Block 21.
Pavilion Energy invests in Tanzania
Singapore-based investor Pavilion Energy is to take a 20% in a joint venture partnership with Ophir Energy to develop natural gas finds in Blocks 1, 3 and 4 off the Tanzanian coast. The deal is worth a maximum US$1.29 billion and is expected to close in Q1 2014.
Lamprell’s jackup rigs enter the Caspian
Lamprell has completed and delivered the first of two Caspian Sea jackup rigs following tow out from the Astrakhan re-assembly yard. The new rig will now start its first contract in the Caspian Sea. Good progress is being made on a second Caspian Sea jackup, which is expected to be delivered in Q4 2014.
Kirinskoye subsea production facility online
The first subsea production facility has been brought onstream offshore Russia, Gazprom announced. The Kirinskoye gas and condensate field, part of the Sakhalin III project, is a 28km subsea tie-back to shore, in the Kirinsky block in the Sea of Okhotsk. It is in 90m water depth and, once fully completed, will comprise seven wells connected to a single manifold, from which gas is then transported via pipeline to an onshore processing facility. Once fully onsteam, production from Kirinskoye is estimated to reach 5.5Billion cu m a year. Reserves at Kirinskoye are estimated to be 162.5 billion cu m of gas and 19.1MM tons of gas condensate.
First gas from Ruby field
Production at Indonesia’s Ruby field kicked off Oct. 27. The field has been in development since June 2011 and is expected to produce natural gas at a rate of 17,000boe/d. Located within the Sebuku Production Sharing Contract (PSC) 300km south of Balikpapan City, Ruby field lies in a water depth of 50-100km. Approximately 250 Bcf will be produced for sale to the domestic market over the life of the field.
First oil from Balai field
Oil production from the Balai field in the Balai Cluster Risk Service Contract (RSC) (RSC) area commenced in early November. Balai is located in a water depth of 60m (198ft). The field’s first oil was achieved utilizing an early production vessel as a part of the RSC area’s extended well testing (EWT) program. The development area is located approximately 100- 130km (60-80mi) northeast of Bintulu. The EWT is part of the Balai Cluster pre-development phase and is designed to provide additional production and reservoir performance information to support the field development planning process.
CNOOC’s Suizhong 36-1 Phase II starts production
China’s CNOOC announced that the Suizhong 36-1 Phase II adjustment project has commenced production. The Suizhong 36-1 oil field is located in the south region of Liaodong Bay in Bohai in an average water depth of approximately 30m. Four additional platforms will be built as part of this adjustment project.
Subscribe
