Cyprus News

Six applicants for three Cyprus offshore blocks

Jul 25, 2016

Cyprus has received six applications from eight companies for the three blocks it put up in its 3rd Licensing Round for offshore exploration. The three blocks were Blocks 6, 8 and 10, in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea…

Petrobras switches out accomodation vessels, Prosafe refinancing

Jul 08, 2016

Prosafe has signed contract amendments and an extension with Petrobras which will see the Brazilian oil firm switch out the semisubmersible accommodation vessel Safe Eurus for sister vessel Safe Notos. Safe Notos was already due to start a contract with Petrobras…

GSP secures Tunisian drilling contract

Jul 06, 2016

Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP) has been awarded an offshore drilling contract in Tunisia by Numhyd. Drilling operations will be carried out with the GSP Jupiter, a cantilever type mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU). The rig is currently under preparation for the contract in Limassol…

Noble to divest 3% of Tamar

Jul 05, 2016

Noble Energy entered into a US$369 million definitive agreement with the Harel Group and Israel Infrastructure Fund (IIF) to offload 3% working interest in the Tamar field, offshore Israel. Image of the Tamar platform…

Cyprus offers three offshore blocks

Mar 25, 2016

The Republic of Cyprus announced its third Licensing Round for offshore exploration consisting of three blocks.  The areas up for grabs include Blocks 6, 8 and 10, lolcated in the Mediterranean Sea.  The application deadline is 22 July…

Ocean Rig buys Cerrado drillship

Apr 25, 2016

Cyprus-based Ocean Rig has stepped in to buy the sixth generation ultra-deepwater (UDW) drillship Cerrado, which once drilled the giant Libra prospect offshore Brazil, following its owner Brazil-based Schahin Group bankruptcy declaration last April…

Bucking the trend

Apr 01, 2016

Chad Barnes reports that contrary to current industry norms, contracting activity in the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa region is on the rise. The Eastern Mediterranean gas landscape and a focus on Egypt…

Sea of opportunity

Apr 01, 2016

Heather Saucier examines the geology of the Mediterranean and North African region, and assesses where more discoveries could be made. The location of four assessment units in the Nile Delta Basin Province in the Eastern Mediterranean…

Cyrus drilling delayed

Feb 01, 2016

Planned drilling at Block 12 offshore Cyprus gained a waiver from the government of Cyprus to carry out additional drilling outside of the Aphrodite area, upon the completion of the transfer of 50% of the rights of Noble Cyprus in Block 12 to BG Cyprus…

Songa to shed 200 staff

Feb 02, 2016

Songa Offshore is planning to cut up to 200 staff and shut its offices in Aberdeen and South Korea, the firm announced yesterday. The company said the US$30 million-saving move, which will see support functions centralized out of Norway…

BG to take Aphrodite stake

Nov 23, 2015

BG Group secured 35% stake from Houston-based Noble Energy in Block 12 offshore Cyprus in a US$165 million farm out deal, which gives the UK deepwater and LNG focused company a piece of the Aphrodite natural gas discovery. Map of Cyprus…

Songa's latest Cat D delivered

Dec 16, 2015

Norway, Cyprus-based drilling contractor Songa Offshore has taken delivery of its third Cat D drilling rig from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea. The Songa Encourage follows delivery of the Songa Equinox and the Songa Endurance earlier this year…

Bumper crop

Dec 01, 2015

Despite the massive cut backs the industry is facing, including cuts to exploration programs, drill bits continued to spin in 2015. Elaine Maslin reports. Atwood Achiever. Photo from Atwood Oceanics…

Surveying Mediterranean prospects

Nov 01, 2015

Jerry Lee reports on all the exploration and production activity currently ongoing in the Mediterranean and North Africa. The Maersk Discoverer drilling in Egypt’s East Mediterranean Sea. Photos from BP…

Eni CEO meets with Israeli officials

Oct 29, 2015

Eni CEO Claudo Descalzi met with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz in Jerusalem today (29 October) to discuss potential joint development of natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean as…

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