UK-based exploration firm Ithaca Energy has agreed farm-out deals with Edison International and Shell on North Sea blocks. Shell is to take a 50% stake from Ithaca in production license P2048, covering central North Sea blocks 29/24, 29/25…
Oilfield services firm Archer is expanding its coverage in the eastern hemisphere region with the opening of a support office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), a downhole tool repair center in Jebel Ali, UAE and a country office in Doha…
When Norway first attended the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, 40 years ago, it was at the beginning of a long journey. Building on its seafaring heritage, the country has developed a strong base for oilfield technology. It’s now leading the way into new territories…
The Kursk tragedy in 2000 identified a need for a Russian submarine rescue ship after 118 sailors and officers perished when the nuclear-powered, cruise-missile submarine sank in the Barents Sea. As a response, the Russian Admiralty is constructing the Igor Belousov…
Project management and development engineering firm EPC Offshore has signed an agreement with Total E&P UK to provide support services at its natural gas and condensate discovery in the Atlantic. Edradour, located in Block 206/4 of the UK Continental Shelf…
An additional tool for corrosion management: the power of corrosion inhibitor micelle detection. Management of internal corrosion typically involves monitoring a number of properties of a system with, for example, coupon testing, residual inhibitor monitoring…
Draugen was the first field developed in the Norwegian Sea 20 years ago—Shell now expects it to produce for a further 20 years, doubling its expected life span. Asset manager Odin Estensen explains how. The story of Draugen is more than just the story of a field…
Repairs of corroded supports are quick and effective when composite materials are used; Victor Schmidt explains. Corrosion in the marine environment is a process constantly acting on offshore structures, due to immersion in…
European editor Elaine Maslin went to visit Huisman’s yard in Schiedam, Netherlands, as the finishing touches were being carried out on the Noble Globetrotter II. When offshore lifting, pipelay and drilling firm Huisman decided…
Norway’s Statoil has had a double success on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). Wildcat well 34/8/15 S on production license (PL) 120 proved gas and an appraisal well on the Johan Sverdrup field in PL265 confirmed the extent of the reservoir along the western margin of the field…
Today is the closing day of EAGE 2013, this year held in London at the ExCeL London Exhibition and Convention Centre. During the event, Sam Borman, SVP, sales and marketing, with CGG’s marine division, outlined the firm's fleet and its capabilities…
Engineering and construction firm Foster Wheeler has bought Aberdeen-based upstream consultancy Ingen Ideas. Ingen specializes in field development and project decision support, focused on the evaluation and implementation of oil and gas field developments…
AGR has been contracted to provide riserless mud recovery services for an operator working off Sakhalin. The US$3m contract will see AGR division AGR Enhanced Drilling provide its Riserless Mud Recovery (RMR) services (RMR) over this year’s summer drilling season…
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum awarded 24 licenses in the country’s 22nd licensing round. The offerings include 20 production licenses in the Barents Sea and four in the Norwegian Sea. The agency granted 29 companies shares—including ConocoPhillips…
As the 25th anniversary of the UK North Sea Piper Alpha disaster approaches, GL Noble Denton looks at regulatory best practice. The 25-year anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster provides an important opportunity to stop and reflect…