News

All crew accounted for in Gulf blast

Anthony Guegel — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:26:11 GMT

US Coast Guard said all 13 crew members have been rescued after an explosion at a facility in the Gulf of Mexico in Vermilion Block 380, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay off Louisiana.

Algeria calls for bids

Claudia Perez Rivas — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:28 GMT

Algeria launched a licensing round for 10 oil and gas contract areas today, inviting energy companies to submit bids by 3 March next year.

Earl stalls Deep Panuke probe

Noah Brenner — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:22:15 GMT

Canadian giant EnCana has stopped drilling on the Deep Panuke well off the coast of Nova Scotia and begun some evacuations at the rig ahead of Hurricane Earl.

Legal threat to UK deep-water plans

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:29:15 GMT

The UK government faces a legal challenge to its plans to further open up the country's deep-water play to E&P activity.

Storm stops Stena Don protest

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:39:21 GMT

A fierce storm forced the four Greenpeace activists occupying the semi-submersible drilling rig Stena Don, operating off Greenland, to abandon their protest early this morning.

Gazprom rides high

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:32:56 GMT

Russian gas giant Gazprom saw its profit for the first quarter of the year more than triple on the back of a foreign exchange gain, adding it had cut its net debt by more than 30%.

Wasit bidders get extra time

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:18:48 GMT

State oil giant Saudi Aramco has extended the closing date for bids to build the kingdom's largest gas plant, Wasit, industry sources said today.

Jakarta presses $2.4bn Montara claim

Anthea Pitt — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:44:17 GMT

Indonesia today renewed its claims for $2.4 billion in damages from PTTEP over last year's Montara oil spill, despite the Thai player's assertion that no "verifiable evidence" exists to prove any damage occurred.

Sierra delivers for GDF Suez

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:07:16 GMT

French player GDF Suez flowed significant gas volumes from an exploration well drilled on the the Sierra prospect, off the Netherlands, claiming the find could open up a new fairway in the Dutch sector of the North Sea.

Russia output eases back

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:45:36 GMT

Oil output in Russia fell by 0.8% in August from an all-time high reached in July, to hit a seven-month low, the Energy Ministry said today.

Norway offshore on course for record spend

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:41:11 GMT

Statistics Norway said today that oil and gas investments - the core driver of Norway's economic growth - were on track to set a new record high next year.

Tullow bolsters Africa holdings

Josh Lewis — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:44:44 GMT

UK-based Tullow Oil is beefing up its East African portfolio, taking 50% stakes in six exploration licences in the Kenyan and Ethiopian sectors of the East African Rift basin.

Australian deadlock drags on

Josh Lewis — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:52:56 GMT

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) was a step closer to forming a minority government today as independent MP Andrew Wilkie gave his backing to the party, although the balance of power still hangs with three other independent MPs.

Statoil keen on Gulf growth

Anthea Pitt — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:16:30 GMT

Norwegian giant Statoil is open boosting its presence in the US Gulf of Mexico and will weigh up possible opportunities, company boss Helge Lund said today, adding that deep-water exploration is the key to future energy supply.

High seas bedevil Macondo BOP work

Noah Brenner — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:16:15 GMT

Choppy seas continued to frustrate BP’s efforts to replace the blowout preventer on the Macondo well, though conditions improved enough for the UK supermajor make plans to start the operation in the next day or two.

Bleak outlook for newbuild rig orders

Damon Evans — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:42:59 GMT

Investment bank DnBNOR cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel for the newbuild rig sector and reiterated that the order flow will be disappointing both this year and the next.

Origin bags exploration deal

Damon Evans — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:29:00 GMT

Australia’s Origin Energy as part of a consortium has been successful in bidding for a geothermal exploration permit in the Indonesian province of northern Sumatra.

Perth steps in over Browse land row

Josh Lewis — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:26:57 GMT

The West Australian government has started proceedings to compulsory acquire land earmarked for Woodside Petroleum’s A$30 billion (US$27.2 billion) gas hub in the state’s Kimberley region at James Price Point, about 60 kilometres north of Broome.

Darkhovin buy-back push

Damon Evans — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:03:10 GMT

Iran is moving ahead with a local buy-back tender for the third phase of the Darkhovin oilfield development after Eni’s withdrawal from contention, and is understood to be aiming for the maximum output target of 300,000 barrels per day.

Second helping for ONGC’s G1 tender

Damon Evans — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:53:41 GMT

India’s Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has launched new invitations to bid for the installation and commissioning of subsea facilities for its deep-water G1 natural gas development off the country’s eastern coast.