It’s a smaller, more focused exploration world as we start 2018. Elaine Maslin discusses the main themes for 2018 with Wood Mackenzie’s Andrew Latham (First published in the January 2018 OE, access full issue here). Deepwater is very…
How did global oil and gas exploration fare in 2017? It depends on who you ask. Photo from Maersk Drilling. Rystad Energy reported today (21 December) that 2017 was another record low year…
Global high-impact* exploration in 2017 is expected to match 2016 in both activity and success rates, and with a marked improvement in commercial oil volumes discovered and lower finding costs. High impact drilling commercial success…
Operator Aker BP has completed an acquisition of Hess Norge, which owns 10% stakes in the Norwegian North Sea Valhall and Hod fields, from Hess Corp for US$2 billion. At the same time, a deal by Aker BP to sell 10% interest in the…
Audrey Leon looks at some of 2017's 10 largest offshore discoveries. First published in the December 2017 OE. While exploration hasn’t been as hot as it used to be, the finds this year have been big and plentiful. Wood Mackenzie has provided the year’s 10 biggest finds by volume…
ExxonMobil has further confirmed the potential of the Stabroek block offshore Guyana with a fifth oil discovery in the Turbot-1 well. Stena Carron drillship. Image from Stena Drilling. ExxonMobil…
The tanker destined for ExxonMobil's Liza Phase 1 project, offshore Guyana, has arrived at Keppel's shipyard in Singapore, SBM Offshore announced today (14 November). SBM has said that the tanker's arrival marks the start of the FPSO conversion phase…
Africa Oil Corp. (AOC) and Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas are forming a strategic partnership for exploration in West Africa and Guyana. Under the terms of an investment agreement, AOC has agreed to acquire a 19.77% shareholding in Eco through the purchase…
Hess Corp. has completed the sale of its interests in offshore Equatorial Guinea to Kosmos Energy and Trident Energy for US$650 million. Hess’ exit from Equatorial Guinea comes after nearly two decades of operations at the Ceiba field and Okume complex…
The floating production systems (FPS) has seen a return to activity in 2017, says analysts Westwood Global Energy Group. The firm says that in 2016 no FPS units were ordered. With two months of the year remaining, 11 units have been ordered this year…
Total has agreed an option agreement with Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas to acquire a 25% stake in the Orinduik Block, offshore Guyana, South America. Eco subsidiary Eco Guyana currently holds a 40% working interest in Orinduik, with Tullow Oil…
Tullow Oil's latest 'ambitious wildcat' well offshore Suriname, south America, has failed to make a commercial discovery. The Araku-1 exploration was drilled to a total depth of 2685m and penetrated the objectives of the Araku prospect…
Aker BP has agreed to buy Hess Norge, which includes major stakes in the Valhall and Hod fields, from Hess for US$2 billion as the US oil firm continues an offshore asset sale. Yesterday, Kosmos Energy said it had agreed to acquire Hess' 85% stake in two long-producing oil fields…
Kosmos Energy entered Equatorial Guinea with a splash by acquiring Hess' 85% stake in two long-producting oil fields for US$650 million, as well as signing production sharing contracts (PSCs) for three other blocks in the Rio Muni basin…
Keppel Shipyard has won a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel conversion contract from SBM Offshore for ExxonMoibil's Liza development offshore Guyana. The contract is for the conversion of a very large crude carrier (VLCC) into an FPSO…