Field Development

JV finalises Ichthys EPC contract

Josh Lewis — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:55:37 GMT

Houston-based KBR and its joint venture partners, JGC and Chiyoda, have finalised a contract covering engineering, procurement and construction activities on the Inpex-led Ichthys liquefied natural gas project in northern Australia.

Giants get ready to battle for Hebron

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:23:04 GMT

ExxonMobil has issued bid documents to South Korea’s three super fabricators to build a huge 30,000-tonne deck for its groundbreaking US$8.3 billion Hebron project off Newfoundland, Canada.

Newfoundland gets scheme’s remaining topsides

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:22:57 GMT

The bulk of Hebron’s modules were always going to be built in South Korea, but the remaining topsides — amounting possibly to as much as 12,000 tonnes — was set to be fabricated in Newfoundland to meet local content guidelines.

Shut down at Horizon

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:22:51 GMT

Canadian Natural Resources has shut its Horizon oil sands mining site in Alberta, Canada.

Jacka signs up for Ruhuhu

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:22:37 GMT

Australia’s Jacka Resources has signed a production sharing agreement covering Tanzania’s entire onshore Ruhuhu basin.

Technip wins Petrobras job

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:22:28 GMT

French services company Technip has won a five-year frame agreement contract with Petrobras worth about $2.1 billion for the supply of around 1400 kilometres of flexible pipes.

ExxonMobil starts the bid race for Point Thomson processing facility

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:22:15 GMT

EXXONMOBIL is hitting the streets with bid documents for construction of about 11,000 tonnes of modules for a central processing facility to produce and separate 10,000 barrels per day of condensate from 200 million cubic feet per day of gas output from the Point Thomson field on Alaska’s North Slope.

Gunanusa and Swiber scoop Mahakam contracts

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:58 GMT

Cilegon-based Gunanusa and the Indonesian subsidiary of Singapore’s Swiber Offshore have won contracts worth more than $200 million for work on the further development of three producing gas and condensate fields in the Total-operated Mahakam permit off Indonesia.

Bids in for Shell Sabah CEOR job

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:53 GMT

Shell has received bids for its first vessel-based chemical �enhanced oil recovery project at the St Joseph field off Sabah, Malaysia, writes Tan Hwee Hwee.

Jack-up bid

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:48 GMT

ConocoPhillips is in the market for a jack-up rig for a medium-term drilling programme on its block B production sharing contract off Indonesia.

BP 3D project

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:43 GMT

BP is almost halfway through acquiring a major 3D marine seismic survey in its frontier deep-water exploration blocks off south Australia.

Two giants battle to win Total’s Egina floater prize

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:11 GMT

Two consortia have been left to fight it out to secure a prestigious order to provide a newbuild floating production, storage and offloading vessel for Total’s multi-billion dollar Egina project off Nigeria.

Ofon in second phase

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:05 GMT

France’s Total has officially launched the second phase of its Ofon project in Nigeria’s shallow-water OML 102 licence, which is due on stream in 2014.

Charter bid for two new-generation jack-ups

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:21:01 GMT

India’s Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is planning to charter two new-generation 300-foot cantilever-type jack-up drilling rigs for a five-year term, starting after this year’s monsoon, writes Nishant Ugal.

ONGC all set to run rule over Project 3 pipe race

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:20:51 GMT

As many as nine companies have submitted bids for Oil & Natural Gas Corporation’s Pipeline Replacement Project 3 for the western offshore region.

GE Vetco Grey leads race for Panyu subsea deal

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:42 GMT

US offshore equipment supplier GE Vetco Gray is leading the race to supply a subsea production �system for China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)’s Panyu gas development in the South China Sea.

CNOOC has Enping in its sights

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:38 GMT

Offshore operator China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is finalising the development plan for its Enping 24-2 field in the Pearl River Mouth basin of the South China Sea.

Encouraging results from Black Sea well

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:34 GMT

The first deep-water well drilled in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea has yielded encouraging signs of gas for partners Exxon�Mobil and OMV Petrom, although the companies are giving little else away.

Arctic role for Norway

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:25 GMT

Norway is pushing further into the Arctic north, with plans for a seismic campaign in the northern part of the previously disputed area in the Barents Sea.

Statoil ramps up output

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:22 GMT

Norway’s Statoil saw a big jump in international production late last year, as new and existing fields ramped up in countries including Brazil, �Angola and Azerbaijan.

Encana on the money at Tuscaloosa Marine shale

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:15 GMT

ENCANA appears to have hit it big with the first horizontal well in the emerging Tuscaloosa Marine shale to be entirely drilled and completed by the Canadian natural gas giant.

Oil sands testing to increase

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:10 GMT

A NEW oil sands monitoring system to be implemented this spring by the Canadian government will see the frequency of land, air, and water testing ramped up, as well as the size of the area under scrutiny.

Proposed US fracturing rules fail to win over industry

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:18:05 GMT

INDUSTRY groups have voiced scepticism over a proposed set of rules to regulate hydraulic fracturing on public lands in the US, claiming the efforts are “unnecessary” since many states already regulate the controversial practice, writes Luke Johnson.

Outages make for major profits dip at Syncrude

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:17:03 GMT

Maintenance outages at the giant Syncrude project led to sharply lower output and a near 60% profits dip in the fourth quarter of 2011 for Canadian Oil Sands.

Progress at Majnoon is slow but sure says Voser

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:59 GMT

Shell’s development of Iraq’s �giant Majnoon oil field is progressing slowly, with the company now targeting a production of 175,000 barrels per day in 2013, chief executive Peter Voser said.

Jury still out on costly Saudi Arabia exploration campaign

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:54 GMT

Shell is encouraged by the prospect of sour gas development in Saudi Arabia, but the jury is still out on the outcome of its long and costly exploration campaign in the country.

Iran ‘to pipe gas to Iraq’

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:51 GMT

Iran claims to have completed nearly half of planned work on a pipeline to Iraq and expects to export gas by early 2013.

Deadline on Farzad contract

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:46 GMT

Iran has given ONGC Videsh (OVL), the overseas arm of India’s Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, a one-month deadline to sign a contract to develop the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf, at an estimated cost of $5 billion.

Technip takes contracts for Tullow’s Jubilee development

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:37 GMT

TECHNIP has won contracts for Tullow Oil’s deep-water Jubilee field Phase 1A oil and gas development worth more than $130 million, to be executed in the second half of this year.

Drill spins in Tanzania

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:29 GMT

MAUREL & Prom and its partner Wentworth Resources have spudded exploration well �Ziwani-1 on the Mnazi Bay concession, 13 kilometres from the producing gas fields at the Mnazi-Msimbati complex in southern Tanzania’s transition zone.

Sirius starts on Ororo

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:25 GMT

London-listed Sirius Petroleum has started preliminary work on a development plan for its Ororo oilfield in OML 95, off Nigeria’s Ondo state.

Gabrielli’s final flourish for Petrobras

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:20 GMT

Petrobras chief executive Jose Sergio Gabrielli was set to take his leave of the company this week amid a flurry of offshore contracting activity that highlighted the importance of local content and Brazilian industrial development during his tenure.

All-Brazilian consortium set to start talks for conversion of four FPSO hulls

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:14 GMT

Petrobras is set to begin talks with an all-Brazilian consortium that submitted the lowest bid for the conversion of four hulls for floating production, storage and offloading units to be deployed on unlicensed pre-salt fields, writes Gareth Chetwynd.

SembCorp Marine wins Sete Brasil drillship job

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:05 GMT

Sembcorp Marine has secured a $792.5 million drillship design and construction order from a subsidiary of Sete Brasil in a move that Brazilian market sources see as back-up for looming delays at the Estaleiro Atlantico Sul (EAS) shipyard.

Bids in for topsides modules

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:16:00 GMT

Petrobras received bids this week for the fabrication and installation of close to 80 topsides modules for eight floating production, storage and offloading units.

Drill drive set to boost Ecuador’s rig count

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:15:44 GMT

The award of two contracts for integrated drilling services in two mature fields in Ecuador is likely to significantly increase the country’s rig count, writes Gareth Chetwynd.

Apache rig set for reef

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:15:34 GMT

US operator Apache has proposed to donate a package of decommissioned oil and gas platform jackets to the Louisiana artificial reef programme in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cal Dive in barge job

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:15:08 GMT

US marine contractor Cal Dive International is planning to mobilise its derrick barge Pacific in April to begin heavy lifting associated with a $25 million platform and pipeline decommissioning project in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fresh interest at in-state gas pipeline possibility

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:52 GMT

The Alaska legislature is looking anew at the possibility of an in-state natural gas pipeline, should TransCanada’s proposed Alaska Pipeline project fall by the wayside.

Pioneer sells off Alaskan Cosmopolitan unit

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:48 GMT

Pioneer Natural Resources has sold the Cosmopolitan unit in Alaska to a team comprised of Australian explorer Buccaneer �Energy and privately-held BlueCrest Energy for an undisclosed sum, writes Noah Brenner.

Whiting back in Bandera

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:44 GMT

WHITING Petroleum has hired a new rig to resume drilling of the Tar Cedar-1 wildcat well in Bandera County, which could open a new shale play in west central Texas.

Hashim set to greet the dawning of a golden age for gas

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:28 GMT

Unconventional gas �resources have transformed the world’s energy landscape, says International Gas Union president Abdul Rahim Hashim.

Billiton goes deep in bid to build reserves

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:22 GMT

BHP Billiton is busy drilling large gas prospects in deep water off Western Australia as it seeks to build reserves to meet its liquefied natural gas ambitions.

Malaysian go-ahead

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:17 GMT

Malaysian national oil and gas company Petronas and state utility Tenaga are teaming up to build a liquefied natural gas import terminal at �Lahad Datu in Sabah, East �Malaysia.

New gas hit off Israel

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:14 GMT

US independent Noble Energy has made a fifth gas discovery off Israel, adding further resources to underpin a proposed liquefied natural gas project.

Petrobras signs up for study into terminal

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:03 GMT

Petrobras has signed a protocol of intentions with South Korean players Samsung C&T and Hyundai Merchant Marine to study the technical and economical feasibility of implementing a new liquefied natural gas regasification terminal in Brazil.

Political tensions stoke crude

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:12:37 GMT

OIL prices have been at six-month highs this week due to political tensions in the Middle East and improved economic news in China, the US and European Union.

Yme 'ring of concern' for Talisman

Steve Marshall — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:15:42 GMT

Canadian player Talisman Energy is reported to be facing a further headache on its Yme project as a new study has revealed the problem-plagued field platform may be unable to withstand wave impacts above a certain level.

Glitne gets new lease on life

Steve Marshall — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:40:33 GMT

The producing life of the declining Glitne field off Norway will be extended by another three years as a result of a maintenance pact with Teekay for its floating production unit Petrojarl 1, according to partner Det Norske Oljeselskap.

Statoil in 'West Qurna 2 exit talks'

Steve Marshall — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:52:49 GMT

Statoil has reportedly informed Russian partner Lukoil that it plans to exit the West Qurna 2 oilfield project in Iraq.

Bam Clough wins Wheatstone work

Josh Lewis — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:56:59 GMT

A joint venture between Australia’s Clough and Dutch company Bam International has been awarded a construction contract for the Chevron-operated Wheatstone liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia.

Thiess lands QCLNG gig

Josh Lewis — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:37:41 GMT

Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has been awarded a contract to build the gas processing facilities for the Queensland Curtis liquefied natural gas (QCLNG) project in Australia.

Octanex quits Bonaparte permits

Andrew Hobbs — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:01:27 GMT

Shares in Australia-based Octanex have risen 7% on news the company would not renew two exploration permits in the Southern Bonaparte basin, off the far north coast of Western Australia.

Santos records total reserves drop

Andrew Hobbs — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:55:26 GMT

Santos has reported its first drop in proven and probable reserves in eight years, recorded a total hydrocarbon reserve of 1364 million barrels of oil equivalent by the end of 2011.

Gazprom 'cash restraint' on Shtokman

Steve Marshall — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:18:53 GMT

Gazprom is tightening the purse strings on the stalled Shtokman project as it revealed a substantial cut in its investment budget for this year, according to a report.

Eni starts Keta block drilling

Andrew Hobbs — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:57:35 GMT

Drilling has started at the Eni-operated Keta block offshore eastern Ghana, a party to the project has announced.

Technip jumps on Jubilee work

Josh Lewis — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:05:35 GMT

French services player Technip has been awarded two contracts for Phase 1A of Tullow Oil’s Jubilee project, off Ghana.

Yme partners 'failing to pull weight': PSA

Steve Marshall — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:35:28 GMT

Partners in the Yme field off Norway have been slated by the country’s safety agency for taking a back-seat role in the licence as the blighted project has suffered delays and massive cost overruns.

Socar in plan to build Caspian semisubs

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:12:56 GMT

Azerbaijan’s state oil company Socar is driving a billion-dollar plan to build up to two semi-submersible rigs at local yards for multi-year charters in the Caspian Sea region.

Christina Lake gets approval

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:11:47 GMT

MEG Energy has received approval for its 150,000-barrel-per-day Christina Lake phase three oil sands project in Northern, Alberta, Canada.

Eni team to target new plant

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:09:22 GMT

The Eni-led Karachaganak consoritum has been ordered to speed up the design and construction of a new gas processing plant, with the aim of bringing market-specification gas to central Kazakhstan, writes Vladimir Afanasiev.

Russian oil in rail crash

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:08:56 GMT

Russian oil exports to Asia from the port of Kozmino will not be affected by a rail accident in Russia’s far east Amur region, according to state-owned oil pipeline monopoly Transneft.

Spar for Luva

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:08:29 GMT

Statoil has selected a spar platform to develop its landmark Luva gas field in the Norwegian Sea.

Eclipse out of bounds as Songa puts fleet on sale

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:08:02 GMT

Songa Offshore is open to offers from joint venture partners to take a bite out of its fleet, but is not seeking the sale of the semi-submersible drilling rig Songa Eclipse.

Three left standing in battle for Block B prize

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:07:40 GMT

US offshore builder McDermott and two South Korean rivals are battling it out for the contract to supply the main offshore production facility on Chevron’s $4.3 billion Block B gas project in Vietnam.

Seven up for A-18 platform

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:07:12 GMT

Seven contenders have lined up bids for the large gas platform planned for Carigali Hess Operating Company’s Block A-18 gas project in the Malaysia-Thailand joint development area, writes Tan Hwee Hwee.

Burmese gas goes domestic

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:06:46 GMT

Burma does not plan to export any gas from new projects coming on stream after 2013, with all such subsequent production being used domestically, writes Amanda Battersby.

Pemex issues tender for four Ayatsil platforms

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:46:35 GMT

MEXICO’S Pemex has issued a tender for four wellhead platforms for the Ayatsil heavy oil development in the Bay of Campeche, while continuing with preparations on the specifications for a floating production, storage and offloading unit for the same complex.

Fast-track for Tabasco Littoral

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:46:13 GMT

STATE-owned Mexican player Pemex has been engaged in pre-tender consultations with key contractors with the aim of finding a way to fast-track building and installation of one major production platform and two compression platforms for the Tabasco Littoral complex.

Falklands probe is spudded

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:45:49 GMT

UK-listed Borders & Southern Petroleum has spudded its Darwin East exploration well 140 kilometres south of the Falkland Islands.

Repsol awaits go-ahead for Helix capping stack

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:45:27 GMT

US marine contractor Helix Energy Solutions Group is awaiting approval from the US government to stage a new subsea well capping stack in Florida in case of an oil well blowout off Cuba.

Galeota spud

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:36:09 GMT

Bayfield Energy has spudded its first well on the Galeota block off Trinidad.

Reassurance at Bentley

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:24:03 GMT

The UK government has issued a “letter of comfort” to Toronto and London-listed junior Xcite Energy for its proposed Bentley oil project in the North Sea.

Gas export solutions on table as partners push development

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:22:14 GMT

The $5 billion Goliat development off Norway is gathering momentum, Eni Norge managing director Andrea Forzoni told delegates at an Intsok conference in Oslo, though he confessed that the field partners have yet to agree on a solution for gas export from the field.

High hopes for drilling progress at Goliat field

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:21:44 GMT

The new boss of Italian giant Eni’s Norwegian subsidiary is confident that development drilling will begin this year on the pioneering Goliat project off Norway and that production will start by the end of 2013, despite extensive delays to the new rig designated to the project.

Dau orders closure of 200 production wells

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:20:55 GMT

SOUTH Sudan Petroleum & Mining Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau has ordered the closure of more than 200 oil production wells in the Petrodar consortium’s Palaung field in Upper Nile, accounting for half the field’s output of 25,000 barrels per day.

New frac rules for Canada

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:17:51 GMT

Companies exploring and producing natural gas in Canada will now be required to follow national hydraulic fracturing operating practices announced by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).

OGX finally gets extended test under way at Waimea

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:17:25 GMT

OGX has become the first Brazilian private company to produce oil off the country’s coast, with an extended well test at the Waimea accumulation in the Campos basin’s shallow waters under way after months of delays, writes Fabio Palmigiani.

Petrobras set for well drive at Sapinhoa field

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:17:03 GMT

Brazil’s Petrobras plans to start drilling the first of two development wells approved by market regulator ANP for the new Sapinhoa pre-salt field in the Santos basin this month.

Gudrun North Sea field is on track for 2014 startup

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:16:42 GMT

the Gudrun field development, in Norway’s North Sea near the UK border, is starting to take shape. The project just passed the half-way mark, and is on track for startup in early 2014.

Seafloor production progress

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:16:21 GMT

Complete production on the seafloor is taking another step forward this year as two Norwegian key projects for subsea gas compression enter the testing phase, writes Beate Schjolberg.

FPSO leads options for Greater Catcher scheme

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:15:58 GMT

UK independent Premier Oil is set to decide within weeks on the favoured solution to develop its 150 million barrel Greater Catcher project in UK waters with a newbuild floating production vessel currently believed to be the preferred concept.

Sevan on menu for Fyne find

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:15:36 GMT

Premier Oil is eyeing a Sevan Marine-designed floating production vessel to exploit its Fyne oil discovery in the UK North Sea.

Foster Wheeler awarded deal for UK CCS scheme

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:14:48 GMT

2Co Power has drafted in Foster Wheeler to project manage what it hopes will be the UK’s first full scale carbon capture and storage project, involving subsea storage and enhanced oil recovery in the North Sea.

Nexen job

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:13:37 GMT

Nexen has awarded GE Oil & Gas and order worth more than $170 million to provide the subsea production system for its Golden Eagle project in the UK North Sea.

Cal Dive gets Uncle John ready for action

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:12:52 GMT

CAL Dive International’s multi-service semi-submersible Uncle John is completing upgrades to the dynamic positioning and derrick systems at Keppel AmFels shipyard in Brownsville, Texas.

Sakhalin 2 to break even well ahead of schedule

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:10:57 GMT

Russian authorities have �revealed increasing returns at the Gazprom-led Sakhalin 2 offshore oil and gas development in the country’s far east.

Government revenues from Russian PSAs set to increase

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:10:35 GMT

government revenues from the three production sharing agreements that are in place in Russia — Sakhalin 2, ExxonMobil-led Sakhalin 1 and Total-led Kharyaga — are expected to rise by 20% this year to over $3.6 billion, according to Russia’s Energy minister Sergei Shmatko.

IOOC eyeing eight vessels

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:09:50 GMT

Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) has issued a tender for the charter of eight supply and logistics vessels in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.

Getting crude cargoes on track

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:08:56 GMT

The rumble and whistle of a passing train, a symbol of civilisation and prosperity in the American West at the turn of the century, is once again echoing across the plains.

Counting cost of different prices for output

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:08:29 GMT

The main US futures contract is indexed to West Texas Intermediate (WTI) delivered to the Cushing oil hub in Oklahoma, but there are many different prices for oil throughout the country.

XL snub a boost for rail routes

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:08:06 GMT

The rejection of the plans for the Keystone XL pipeline linking the Canadian oil sands and Bakken shale to the US Gulf Coast gave rail transport a significant boost, writes Noah Brenner.

Players prepare bids for Cluster 7 floater tender

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:06:56 GMT

Two Malaysian contractors and a number of Indian players are looking at bidding in the Cluster 7 floating production, storage and offloading vessel tender offered by state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Barque partner sought

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:06:07 GMT

New Zealand Oil & Gas is seeking an experienced offshore player as a farm-in partner to help drill the frontier Barque wet gas prospect off the country’s South Island.

New probes for Browse

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:05:41 GMT

Privately-owned Australian company Indian Pacific Minerals is aiming to drill one or two exploration wells in the coming months in the gas-rich Browse basin off north-west Australia.

Go for Palm

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:05:17 GMT

US company Magellan Petroleum expects to begin gas �deliveries soon from its mature Palm Valley gas field in central Australia.

Duo push Stanley project

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:01:26 GMT

Australian independent Horizon Oil and Canadian co-venturer Talisman Energy have sanctioned the $300 million Stanley liquids project in the western region of Papua New Guinea, where there has never before been a field development.

New regulatory process for Canada ‘in months’

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:59:24 GMT

A plan to streamline Canada’s regulatory framework and speed up the review of major projects should be introduced by the federal government this year.

Woodside considers part sale

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:39:35 GMT

Woodside Petroleum is considering the sale of part of its 50% equity in the Browse liquefied natural gas project in Australia, and has confirmed it has requested an extension of time to make a final investment decision until the first half of 2013, writes Russell Searancke.

PTTEP in drill drive

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:39:10 GMT

Thailand’s PTTEP plans to drill more appraisal wells this year at the Cash-Maple field in Australia to support its floating liquefied natural gas project.

Petronas raises possibility of second FLNG unit

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:37:39 GMT

State-owned Petronas is eyeing a second floating liquefied natural gas vessel for Malaysian waters at the same time as it works on moving its first FLNG unit into the construction phase.

Anadarko nails down site for export plant

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:37:16 GMT

US independent Anadarko has selected the preferred site for its 10 million tonne per annum liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique.

GE lands Ichthys contracts

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:36:50 GMT

Italy-based GE Oil & Gas has landed contracts worth more than $1 billion to supply �Inpex’s Ichthys liquefied natural gas project off Australia.

McDermott subsea deal

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:36:24 GMT

McDermott has confirmed winning the subsea equipment and installation contract worth US$2 billion for the Ichthys project in Australia.

Shell still has its eyes fixed on Gabon gas project

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:36:00 GMT

Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell is still considering a liquefied natural gas project in Gabon.

Dana output is up by 19%

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:32:24 GMT

Sharjah-based Dana Gas saw a 19% increase in 2011 production due to rising gas output in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Crude robust as eyes turn to Iran sanctions

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:31:37 GMT

Oil prices were relatively robust this week, slipping slightly from intra-day highs on Wednesday on news of higher-than-expected US crude inventories.

Crashing back to reality

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:31:12 GMT

US natural gas futures crashed back to reality this week amid continued warm weather and rising gas production, writes Noah Brenner.

Statoil 'seeks West Qurna 2 sale nod'

Steve Marshall — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:38:23 GMT

Norway's Statoil has asked Iraq's Oil Ministry for permission to sell its stake in Phase Two of the West Qurna oilfield project to Russian partner Lukoil, according to reports.

Capacity crunch 'to hit Sverdrup costs'

Steve Marshall — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:28:18 GMT

Bottlenecks in engineering and fabrication capacity are set to push up the costs of developing the giant Johan Sverdrup field off Norway beyond current estimates, while it is also unlikely to meet a targeted 2017 start-up date, according to a leading Norwegian analyst.

Statoil opts for Luva giant spar

Steve Marshall — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:34:35 GMT

Statoil has confirmed that it intends to develop its Luva gas field in the Norwegian Sea with a giant spar, which would make it the first field off Norway to deploy such a facility.

'Reserves boost' for Snohvit

Steve Marshall — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:55:35 GMT

A reported increase of up to 50% in recoverable gas reserves at Statoil’s Snohvit field in the Barents Sea looks set to influence a decision due later this year by the operator on whether to expand capacity of an associated LNG plant with a second train.

Pemex eyes subsidiary with jack-up trio tender

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:52:49 GMT

Mexico’s Pemex is poised to invite bids for the supply of three jack-up rigs that are expected to provide the state company with the high-specificiation units it needs to launch a drilling subsidiary — a first for the company.

BRIEFS

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:52:44 GMT

china

Chevron’s focus is on killing blown-out well

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:52:16 GMT

Chevron Nigeria’s managing director Andrew Fawthrop told a Nigerian senate committee hearing this week that the company’s primary focus is on killing the well as quickly and safely as possible, writes Rob Watts.

Blowout rig had ‘control problems’ days before

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:52:13 GMT

The drilling crew on the stricken jack-up KS Endeavor encountered well-control problems several days before the blowout that destroyed the rig and claimed two lives, Upstream can reveal.

Adma-Opco tenders for two major oil projects

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:52:09 GMT

Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (Adma-Opco) has issued long-awaited tenders for two big oilfield projects, including the main engineering, procurement and construction packages for the $2 billion Umm al Lulu full field development, aiming for contract awards by autumn.

Samsung wins West Qurna phase two infrastructure job

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:51:59 GMT

SOUTH Korea’s Samsung Group has landed a $1 billion contract for major infrastructure work at the West Qurna phase two oilfield in Iraq, writes Vladimir Afanasiev.

$690,000 for Eirik Raude rig

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:51:47 GMT

Ocean Rig is understood to have landed a $690,000 dayrate plus bonus contract for its semi-submersible drilling rig Eirik Raude off Equatorial Guinea, writes Eoin OCinneide.

Deepwater Expedition BOP woe costs contract

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:51:42 GMT

BHP Billiton and Malaysia’s Petronas Carigali have decided to terminate their joint multi-year contract with Transocean for the drillship Deepwater Expedition due to prolonged control issues with the rig’s blowout preventer stack.

Daewoo in line to win Mafumeria Sul prize

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:51:35 GMT

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering is tipped to land a major contract to build the offshore facilities for Chevron’s 110,000 barrels per day Mafumeria Sul project off Angola.

Gracas Foster can be boon for Brazil

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:51:26 GMT

A management shake-up at Petrobras — starting with the imminent replacement of chief executive Jose Sergio Gabrielli by gas and energy director Maria das Gracas Foster — was welcomed by stock markets this week, spurring the Brazilian giant to advances on a scale rarely seen over the past two years.

Keystone XL in the spotlight

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:51:12 GMT

The television and radio airwaves were buzzing in Canada last week when news the US had rejected TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline to the US Gulf Coast from the oil sands of northern Alberta, Canada, writes Tonya Zelinsky.

Dimock to get water from EPA

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:50:22 GMT

US regulators will provide water to four homeowners in Dimock, Pennsylvania who believe their water wells were contaminated by development in the Marcellus shale play, writes Noah Brenner.

Hawkins all set for boost

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:50:18 GMT

ExxonMobil is preparing to bring on new infrastructure at the giant, but ageing, Hawkins Field in east Texas next month that will boost output by 30%.

Sand drive

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:50:14 GMT

Halliburton is building a massive terminal to offload and store sand for hydraulic fracturing in the heart of the emerging Niobrara tight oil play in Weld County, Colorado.

Gas players fight to beat record low price

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:50:10 GMT

US producers have started to shut in dry gas production as operators look to combat record-low natural gas prices during one of the warmest winters on record.

Chesapeake’s plans to shut-in wells spurs slumping US market

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:50:05 GMT

Plans by US producer Chesapeake to shut in up to 1 billion cubic feet per day of output, about 1.5% of total US production, gave a fillip to the slumping US natural gas market this week, writes Noah Brenner.

Worst-case scenario fallout leads to call for ban on new LNG permits

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:50:00 GMT

US liquefied natural gas exports could cause domestic natural gas prices to spike by more than 50% under a worst-case scenario, leading one legislator to call for a ban on federal approval for new export permits, writes Noah Brenner.

Pemex confirms foreign invitations in shale drive

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:52 GMT

Pemex has confirmed speculation that it will invite foreign players to tap its shale reservoirs for both oil and gas by offering up contracts in its prospective shale plays.

Mexicans set for first Drillmec land rig

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:37 GMT

Pemex is about to take delivery of the first of three new 1500 horsepower land rigs built by Italian rig fabricator Drillmec at its Houston yard as part of a push to secure 30 more land rigs and upgrade its fleet this year, writes Noah Brenner.

BP going deep off Brazil

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:33 GMT

UK supermajor BP is breaking into the ultra-deep waters of the north-east Ceara basin off Brazil after acquiring a �minority 40% participation �interest in Block BM-CE-1 from Petrobras.

Dockwise readies quotes for floatover installation

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:30 GMT

THE Netherlands-based heavy lift vessel owner Dockwise is preparing quotes to Mexican fabricators Ica-Fluor and Swecomex for a proposed floatover installation of a 10,000-tonne platform for the Litoral A field development off �Tabasco, Mexico, for operator Pemex.

Landslide in Hides area

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:17 GMT

Dozens of people have been killed in a landslide near the ExxonMobil-operated Hides gas field in Papua New Guinea, but no staff or contractors were hurt.

TransCanada to reapply for Keystone XL permit

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:05 GMT

TransCanada plans to reapply for a permit to build its controversial Keystone XL pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Enbridge pipe deal collapses

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:49:00 GMT

An equity sharing agreement between Enbridge and a British Columbia First Nation has fallen apart, writes Tonya Zelinksy.

Statoil signs up for CH2M’s Leismer oil sands development

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:48:56 GMT

Statoil Canada has signed a C$400 million (US$397 million) deal with CH2M Hill Canada for engineering, procurement and construction at its Leismer oil sands project in north Alberta, Canada.

Tanker Pacific to battle M3nergy for Bukit Tua

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:48:48 GMT

Singapore-based Tanker Pacific and Malaysia’s M3nergy are set to face off in a contest to provide a leased floating production, storage and offloading vessel forPetronas’ Bukit Tua oil and gas development off Indonesia.

Maersk sells Ngujima-Yin

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:48:35 GMT

Maersk FPSO has sold its Ngujima-Yin floating production, storage and offloading vessel to Woodside Petroleum and Mitsui Oil, the owners of the Vincent oilfield in Western Australia.

Rosneft audit report sees increase in oil and gas reserves

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:48:18 GMT

Russia’s state-controlled oil company Rosneft has released a new hydrocarbon reserves audit report, saying that the company’s proven reserves under the Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS) were 23.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent at the end of December, writes Vladimir Afanasiev.

2012 launch on the cards for FEED phase

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:35 GMT

The BP-led Shah Deniz 2 consortium in Azerbaijan expects to launch the front-end engineering and design phase of the project this year targeting production start-up in 2017, writes Kama Mustafayeva.

Shah Deniz team targets March for export option

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:30 GMT

The BP-led consortium in charge of Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz full-field development is considering a working group’s recommendation on the preferred option for exporting the gas output to Europe and is expected to make a decision by March.

No room for complacency on safety

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:22 GMT

It is now almost two years since the Macondo blowout and explosion claimed 11 lives and caused the worst oil spill ever in US waters.

Differing opinions in view

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:12 GMT

“A ONE size fits all approach to safety is impractical due to each region’s unique geography and conditions,” says American Petroleum Institute president Jack Gerard.

Recorded incidents set for five-year low

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:08 GMT

The number of recorded safety incidents on drilling rigs in US waters is on pace to set a five-year low, even as operators begin to ramp up operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Battle lines drawn for SEMS attack

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:47:02 GMT

OFFSHORE industry representatives are challenging US regulators to either change or scrap some of the provisions of the newly revised safety and environmental management system (SEMS) rule, arguing that it is becoming too prescriptive.

Cleaning up the US inspections process

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:57 GMT

US regulators say progress has been made in revamping an offshore inspections programme heavily criticised in the wake of the 2010 Macondo disaster.

New centre takes fresh approach to deep safety

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:52 GMT

An industry-led group proposed in the fallout of the 2010 Macondo disaster is taking shape with a fresh approach to deep-water oil and gas safety, writes Kathrine Schmidt.

Finding the cap that fits

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:49 GMT

Beyond the Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) and the Helix Energy Group, other companies, contractors and industry groups have taken the initiative post-Macondo to come up with their own solutions for the potential need to capture and divert oil and gas flowing from a blown-out deep-water well.

Dalian Developer in race against time

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:44 GMT

The owners of Dalian Developer are among the few industry players looking at developing multi-purpose vessels that will double up as oil spill response units.

Call for support to boost oil spill capture vessels

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:40 GMT

MPF Technology founder Wilhelm Blystad is calling for regulatory support to boost investment in oil spill capture vessels, following the flurry of investment on subsea containment equipment, writes Tan Hwee Hwee.

Fast response is key for MWCC and Helix

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:35 GMT

Gulf of Mexico operators have a pair of cap and contain solutions they can chose to participate in as required by US regulators in the post-Macondo world, writes Blake Wright.

BP’s safety team takes a sweeping policing role

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:32 GMT

THE direction of BP has been transformed by the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, one in a series of fatal accidents in the UK supermajor’s recent history.

Still room for improvement in Norway’s industry

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:26 GMT

Norway’s oil industry enjoys levels of health and safety that put many other petroleum nations to shame — but there is always room for improvement.

Classification outfits push for safer tools

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:17 GMT

Classification societies such as Norway’s DNV, Lloyd’s Register in the UK and Houston-based ABS are all developing tools and concepts aimed at managing risk and improving safety across the offshore industry.

HSE sets its sights on stopping leaks

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:11 GMT

Reducing the number of unplanned hydrocarbon leaks is the fundamental issue facing the UK oil and gas industry, according to the country’s top offshore safety official.

UK faces toughest challenge

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:06 GMT

Probably nowhere are the challenges associated with ageing oil and gas platforms and pipelines more keenly felt or better understood than off the UK, writes Rob Watts.

Staff shortage could worsen at HSE as more inspectors retire

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:46:01 GMT

The UK offshore safety regulator is in the midst of a staffing shortage which, if not halted, could leave its quota of inspectors down by about a quarter, writes Rob Watts.

Union remains concerned for safety of staff

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:56 GMT

Many men and women on the frontline of the UK’s oil and gas industry continue to face unnecessary safety risks because they are not properly engaged in health and safety matters, a trade union official says.

Workers say NRB still in play

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:49 GMT

Two experienced UK offshore workers — both of whom wanted to remain anonymous — insist that cultures of fear do exist on many North Sea installations that prevent safety concerns being raised, writes Rob Watts.

The legacy of Osprag

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:43 GMT

The UK offshore industry moved swiftly after the 2010 Macondo blowout to form the pan-industry Oil Spill Response Advisory Group (Osprag) as a focal point to review the country’s oil spill prevention and response measures.

Battling to stop a new Montara

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:37 GMT

Australia is the Oceania region’s leading oil and gas producer, ahead of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, and each country is putting regulatory frameworks in place to avoid another Montara incident.

Nopsema takes reins in Australian offshore

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:32 GMT

The chief executive of Australia’s National Offshore Petroleum Safety & Environmental Management Authority (Nopsema) would welcome changes to legislation and regulations to allow the regulator to share more information and enhance transparency in the country’s offshore industry.

Setting an industry standard

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:29 GMT

New Zealand and Papua New Guinea plan to increase their offshore petroleum operations and are tailoring safety regulations to suit an expected boost in offshore activity.

Timor-Leste regulator a quick learner with landmark operations under way

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:24 GMT

Timor-Leste has had a dedicated national petroleum regulator since the country’s independence, and the agency has learned a lot in quick time.

Waking up to fatigue as an issue

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:20 GMT

Almost omnipresent and notoriously difficult to diagnose, fatigue presents an ongoing challenge to safety for all involved in the oil and gas sector, from workers on the ground to the higher levels.

Penglai 19-3 sparks reform

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:14 GMT

The oil spill from Conoco�Phillips’ Penglai 19-3 oilfield in Bohai Bay off northern China last June triggered regulatory changes and prompted the country’s largest offshore safety campaign.

Vigilance key for the future

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:07 GMT

India’s Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) is becoming increasingly vigilant about safety related to the country’s offshore drilling and production platforms.

Petrobras pushing for prevention

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:01 GMT

BRAZILIAN oil giant Petrobras has always insisted that it is more important to invest in offshore safety through preventative measures than it is to deal with the aftermath of an accident, and over the past few years the company has been pouring in money to modernise old platforms and to train its professionals accordingly.

Echoes of Frade still heard

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:55 GMT

THE recent oil spill from the Chevron-operated Frade development in the Campos basin has exposed how fragile Brazil still is when it comes to offshore drilling safety, writes Fabio Palmigiani.

Strict standards affecting output

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:51 GMT

Tougher safety standards have had an impact on Brazil’s Petrobras over the past two years, as unscheduled stoppages have been cited as a key factor behind the company’s failure to meet annual production targets, along with technical problems on reservoirs.

New agency on menu for safety in Nova Scotia

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:41 GMT

Nova Scotia legislators want to see the Canadian province create an independent offshore safety board in the hopes of avoiding a repeat of of the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crash of 2009.

Emergency response gets set for take-off

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:36 GMT

Emergency response helicopters for Canada’s Atlantic region will be able to be in the air within 20 minutes’ notice once construction of a new hangar in Newfoundland is complete, writes Tonya Zelinsky.

International standards with different approach

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:28 GMT

MAJOR differences of approach to safety and security in Africa compared to other parts of the world are not instantly discernible, since worthy careers are built on the ability to enforce universal standards.

Taking a local approach to resisting piracy

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:24 GMT

The capability of companies to resist piracy and militant threats inevitably requires falling back on national armed forces, since West African regimes do not like armed private security aboard units in their respective Exclusive Economic Zones, despite legal limits to their jurisdiction over the high seas, writes Barry Morgan.

Sanctions pose a threat to Iran’s good standing

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:19 GMT

IRAN’S offshore safety record was in the spotlight late last year because of a seemingly freak accident that left six divers dead.

IMIST building a safer path

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:16 GMT

MORE and more oil and gas workers around the world are being given access to basic safety training due to an international programme that has its origins in the UK.

Kolskaya puts competence under spotlight in Russia

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:11 GMT

The recent sinking of the jack-up Kolskaya and safety concerns over the Priraz platform have raised doubts about the ability of Russia’s state controlled companies to successfully explore and develop the country’s vast offshore regions.

BP proceeds with care at Khazzan-Makarem

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:44:07 GMT

BP is likely to push back its final investment decision on Oman’s Khazzan-Makarem tight gas project as the supermajor continues its appraisal programme to get a better understanding of the complex reservoir

Risha field closer to spudding of first exploration well

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:17:44 GMT

UK SUPERMAJOR BP is poised to spud its first exploration well in Jordan to test the potential of the Risha tight gas field, which promises to provide an energy lifeline to a country that relies on oil imports to meet its power generation needs, writes Nassir Shirkhani.

Luno development plan is submitted by Lundin

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:17:40 GMT

SWEDEN’S Lundin Petroleum has submitted a formal Nkr24 billion ($4 billion) plan for the development of its operated Luno oilfield to Norway’s Oil & Energy Ministry.

Statoil in approval for Skuld

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:17:31 GMT

Statoil has been given government approval for the near-$1.7 billion fast-track Skuld development in the Norwegian Sea, writes Eoin O’Cinneide.

Awards for new seismic

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:17:27 GMT

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has awarded Petrolem Geo-Services (PGS) and Dolphin Geophysical contracts to shoot seismic in Norway’s northern areas.

Peru ups wildcats number

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:17:10 GMT

EXPLORATION activity more than doubled in Peru during 2011, as the country’s state hydrocarbons promotion agency Perupetro adopted new steps to continue attracting investments from international oil companies, writes Fabio Palmigiani.

Petrobras signs deal with Tanker Pacific for new FPSO

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:17:06 GMT

PETROBRAS has formally signed a deal with Singapore-based Tanker Pacific Offshore Terminals for the construction of a floating storage and offloading vessel that will serve as a transfer and export hub for crude output from the Campos and Santos basins, writes Fabio Palmigiani.

Lundin on trail at Bertram

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:16:15 GMT

LUNDIN Petroleum is evaluating the potential fast-track development of its Bertram oilfield off Malaysia following a successful appraisal well, writes Amanda Battersby.

Gazprom feels push as it speeds up South Stream

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:16:07 GMT

RUSSIAN gas monopoly Gazprom has unveiled a plan to speed up the implementation of its ambitious South Stream gas export pipeline project following growing tensions with its neighbour Ukraine on gas pricing.

Equatorial Guinea closes in on new LNG plant

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:15:57 GMT

PLANS to build a second liquefied natural gas plant in Equatorial Guinea have moved a step closer after multiple partners finalised further commercial principles.

Lithuania plumps for Hoegh

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:15:49 GMT

LITHUANIA has taken another step towards diversifying its gas supplies by picking Norway’s Hoegh LNG to supply a vessel for the country’s planned floating liquefied natural gas regasification terminal, writes Vladimir Afanasiev.

Sinopec deal

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:15:21 GMT

SINOPEC has finalised its equity position in the Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas project in Queensland, Australia, and its commitment to a total of 7.6 million tonnes per annum of LNG.

Woodside’s Pluto expansion effort hit as dry wells put plans on back foot and Xeres find is mothballed

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:15:08 GMT

AUSTRALIAN independent Woodside Petroleum has suffered a blow in its continuing efforts to build reserves for an expansion of its Pluto liquefied natural gas project.

Tidepole hit

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:15:00 GMT

THE co-owners of Australia’s North West Shelf liquefied natural gas project have made a new shallow-water discovery in the under-development Greater Western Flank area, but there is uncertainty about another find.

Alaska lays down APP terms timeline

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:14:55 GMT

THE State of Alaska has set a timeline for producers on the North Slope to unite over the terms of TransCanada’s proposed Alaska Pipeline Project (APP) or it will consider other options.

Chevron in Carnarvon boost

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:14:51 GMT

US SUPERMAJOR Chevron has discovered more gas that can be added to its liquefied natural gas feedstock from the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia that could be exploited to fuel the planned fourth train expansion at its Gorgon project.

Euro and Iran on crude see-saw

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:14:35 GMT

Oil prices see-sawed this week, continuing the trend on Wednesday after the US reported a drop in its inventories of refined products.

Minister in 'fiscal fillip' for Shtokman

Steve Marshall — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:25:01 GMT

A Russian minister this week gave a ray of hope to foreign partners in the Gazprom-led Shtokman consortium seeking tax breaks from the Moscow government before deciding whether to invest in the costly gas field project in the Barents Sea.

Range, Leni forge Trinidad pact

Steve Marshall — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:10:16 GMT

London-listed players Leni Oil & Gas and Range Resources have struck a partnership agreement to jointly develop their Goudron and Beach Marcelle fields in the Eastern Fields Area of southern Trinidad.

Antrim in Fionn subsea pact

Steve Marshall — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:28:58 GMT

Canadian independent Antrim Energy has struck a deal with Valiant Petroleum for early installation of subsea facilities to tie in the latter’s Fionn field into its Causeway development off the UK.

ONGC rolls sleeves up for uphill task at UD-1

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:42:04 GMT

INDIA’S public sector giant Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) faces a daunting task preparing the development plan for its ultra-deepwater UD-1 discovery in the Krishna Godavari basin.

Chevron awards duo Sumatra gig

Josh Lewis — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:43:09 GMT

A joint venture between Australia’s WorleyParsons and Indonesia’s Rekayasa Industri has been awarded an improvement contract covering oilfields owned and operated by US supermajor Chevron in Indonesia.

LNG Ltd inks EPC deal with China Huanqiu

Josh Lewis — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:17:32 GMT

Australia’s Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd has signed an engineering, procurement and construction services contract with China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corporation for its Fisherman’s Landing liquefied natural gas project in Queensland

briefs

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:40:01 GMT

gulf of mexico

Delays to tender for charters

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:39:56 GMT

Petrobras has delayed the date for bid submissions in two separate tenders that call for the chartering of multiple vessels to help the development push in the Campos and Santos basins.

Chevron prepares FEED for Lucapa development

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:39:39 GMT

CHEVRON is set to issue a letter of intent for a full front-end engineering and design study based on a floating production, storage and offloading vessel for the Lucapa field development in Block 14 off Angola.

Odebrecht and partners in low bid for FPSO work

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:38:57 GMT

The Enseada do Paraguacu consortium has submitted the lowest bid in a tender to carry out the conversion work on four floating production, storage and offloading vessels to be used by Petrobras on open acreage in Brazil’s Santos basin pre-salt province.

Well leak is investigated

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:38:29 GMT

Hydraulic fracturing in south Alberta, Canada could be the cause behind an oil well spill that leaked chemicals, nitrogen, sand and oil.

Kinabalu talks for Talisman

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:38:14 GMT

Canada’s Talisman Energy is said to be in talks with Malaysia’s Petronas about taking over a production sharing contract for Malaysia’s Kinabalu oil and gas field, which is expected to be relinquished by Shell at the end of this year, writes Tan Hwee Hwee.

New look at Snohvit second phase on menu

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:37:57 GMT

Norwegian state oil company Statoil is taking a renewed look at a possible second phase development of its Snohvit gas field in the Barents Sea, writes Erik Means.

Pipe blast

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:37:37 GMT

Russia’s presidential envoy to the country’s far east, Viktor Ishayev, has ordered the creation of a special commission to investigate the integrity and safety of the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas pipeline following an explosion on the line last weeknear the village of Kapitonovka in the Khabarovsk region.

Three in hunt for TEN deal

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:37:14 GMT

Three companies chasing a turnkey contract to supply a major new floating production, storage and offloading vessel for Tullow Oil’s Tweneboa-�Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) project off Ghana will hear before the middle of this year which one has won the prestigious order, writes Iain Esau.

Sete Brasil steers course for new drillship order

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:37:03 GMT

SETE Brasil, the company created by Petrobras to build new deep-water drilling rigs, has ordered a drillship from Jurong Shipyard to be built at the group’s Brazilian facility.

P-55 lower hull arrives at Rio Grande

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:36:52 GMT

THE lower hull for the production semi-submersible P-55 completed its journey from Pernambuco to the Rio Grande shipyard in Brazil last week.

BP looks to return to Libya

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:36:43 GMT

BP IS optimistic about returning to its big gas exploration project in Libya, but is unlikely to be able to do so until at least later this year, write Nassir Shirkhani and Vahe Petrossian.

DR Congo well

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:36:29 GMT

TOTAL and South African partners SacOil and Divine Inspiration Group will start exploration work in “the next few weeks” on Block 3 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, located south of Lake Albert.

Correction

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:36:12 GMT

IN LAST week’s edition of Upstream the story headlined “Little awareness as Sierra Leone unveils offshore licensing round” incorrectly said that the Petroleum Resources Unit was formerly the Petroleum Directorate.

Repsol-Eni team set for Perla prize day awards

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:36:06 GMT

Repsol and Eni will begin awarding three different engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the $1.4 billion Perla development in the Cardon IV block in the Gulf of Venezuela in a matter of weeks.

Ayatsil in sights for Pemex

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:35:55 GMT

PEMEX of Mexico is expected to launch a multi-platform tender in February to develop the Ayatsil heavy oil discovery in the Bay of Campeche.

Riches on agenda as West heads to Burma

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:35:45 GMT

The centre of oil exploration and production excitement in 2012 might not be Iraqi Kurdistan or Libya after all, but Burma.

Australia’s focus on LNG keeps potential global oversupply in the background

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:35:32 GMT

Australia’s liquefied natural gas industry is forging ahead with two new greenfield projects, seemingly unfazed by potential global oversupply given shale gas developments in the US have dented projected LNG demand growth there.

Chevron kicks off its Makassar contest for two deep-water floating production units

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:34:08 GMT

Chevron has started the engineering, procurement and construction contest for the two large floating production units it needs to �develop four deep-water fields in the Makassar Strait off Indonesia.

Eni expecting approval soon for Jangkrik

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:33:57 GMT

Italy’s Eni is expected to receive approval from Indonesia soon on a fast-track development of the Jangkrik discovery in the Makassar Strait.

Penglai 19-3 EIA rejected

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:33:42 GMT

The Chinese government has rejected ConocoPhillips’ latest environmental impact assessment as the US company works to resume operations at the Penglai 19-3 oilfield in Bohai Bay off northern China.

Malaysia celebrates Sepat fast-track coming on line

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:33:24 GMT

Malaysia is celebrating production start-up at its fast-tracked Sepat oilfield this week.

Duo sign new PSCs for EOR

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:33:16 GMT

Shell and Petronas have formally signed new production sharing contracts for two enhanced oil recovery projects off Sabah and Sarawak, East Malaysia opening the door to $12 billion-worth of planned investments.

Area 4 shoot off Malta

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:32:54 GMT

London-listed Mediterranean Oil & Gas has started a 3D seismic survey in Area 4 off Malta.

Albania acreage for ILDC

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:32:46 GMT

Tel Aviv-listed junior Israel Land Development Company Energy (ILDC) has struck a deal to secure acreage off Albania.

Petrobras puts gas flares out of fashion with GTL

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:32:25 GMT

Petrobras has qualified a modular gas-to-liquids technology developed by UK-based CompactGTL, offering a route to carrying out extended well tests in remote offshore areas without gas flaring.

E&P unit studies its next step for project

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:32:16 GMT

Petrobras’ exploration and production division is analysing the next step forward for the company’s offshore GTL project, writes Gareth Chetwynd.

Technip leads race for ConocoPhillips FLNG gig

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:31:05 GMT

FRANCE’S Technip is tipped to win a contract with Conoco-Phillips to carry out conceptual studies on a medium-sized floating liquefied natural gas plant to develop gas fields off Australia.

Pemex releases pre-bid documents for six-platform tender

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:30:15 GMT

Pemex is gearing up to begin a tender race for the transport and installation of six platforms to help bolster its Gulf of Mexico operations, writes Tom Darin Liskey.

Parker and BP in rig row

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:29:54 GMT

Parker Drilling of the US is taking a $171 million charge after failing to deliver two high-spec land rigs for drilling in Alaska, writes Noah Brenner.

Shell permit

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:29:44 GMT

A US Environmental Protection Agency appeals board has rejected challenges to the air permit issued to supermajor Shell covering operations of drillship Noble Discoverer in Arctic waters.

Perenco and SNH to bring Sanaga Sud on stream

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:29:20 GMT

French independent Perenco and Cameroon’s state-owned oil company SNH are set to bring their Sanaga Sud gas field on stream next year, writes Iain Esau.

Appraisal takes sparkle off Avaldsnes discovery

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:27:34 GMT

NORWAY’S excitement about the giant Avaldsnes-Aldous oil prospect in the North Sea has been slightly tempered by a disappointing appraisal well on the Lundin-operated Avaldsnes field.

Shortage of rigs in spotlight

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:27:10 GMT

THE Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has cautioned that a lack of available rigs will prevent Norway from boosting the number of exploration wells drilled in its waters this year, writes Steve Marshall.

Chevron signs up major offshore exploration deal

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:25:25 GMT

Chevron Canada has signed partnership agreements with �Statoil Canada and Repsol E&P Canada to jointly pursue exploration in Atlantic Canada and the Arctic region.

Pedec’s pipeline tender

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:24:00 GMT

Iran’s Petroleum Development & Engineering Company (Pedec) has issued a prequalification tender for a 30-inch pipeline and pumping stations to carry light crude from west of the Karun river to the onshore facilities of the Kharg island export terminal.

Novatek gaining at pace

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:23:10 GMT

INDEPENDENT Novatek has become the fastest growing hydrocarbon producing company in Russia.

Indonesia deep push for Total

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:22:18 GMT

France’s Total has added to its deep-water assets off Indonesia with the acquisition of stakes in three Makassar Straits blocks from Thailand’s national upstream company PTTEP before expected drilling on the acreage, writes Amanda Battersby.

Inpex and Total signal Ichthys go-ahead

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:22:09 GMT

Japanese independent Inpex and French energy giant Total have, as expected, sanctioned the Ichthys liquefied natural gas project in north-west Australia at a capital cost of US$34 billion, making it the eighth greenfield Australian LNG project currently to be in the construction phase.

Contractors and fabricators named

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:22:01 GMT

Inpex has confirmed its selected contractors for the Ichthys offshore and onshore facilities except the floating production, storage and offloading vessel and the onshore liquefied natural gas plant modules, writes Russell Searancke.

Bidders line up for Abadi

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:21:50 GMT

THREE groups of bidders have pre-qualified for the tender on a floating liquefied natural gas plant to develop Inpex’s Abadi gas project off Indonesia, writes Tan Hwee Hwee.

InterOil in PNG hunt

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:21:37 GMT

CANADIAN independent InterOil has spudded the Triceratops-2 appraisal well onshore Papua New Guinea that is targeting a 1950s significant gas discovery that could provide feedstock for its planned Gulf LNG project.

More standalone Australian projects waiting in the wings

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:21:21 GMT

Ichthys is the latest in a string of standalone Australian liquefied natural gas projects to reach final investment decisions, and there are more waiting in the wings, writes Russell Searancke.

New rules upgrade Leviathan

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:21:15 GMT

A change in financial reporting procedures in Israel has seen the recoverable reserves held in Noble Energy’s Leviathan gas discovery increase by 25% to 20 trillion cubic feet, writes Iain Esau.

Total files Hild field plan

Steve Marshall — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:07:04 GMT

French giant Total has submitted its development plan for the Hild field off Norway to the Oslo authorities, targeting total investments of Nkr25 billion ($4.2 billion).

Lundin awards land for Luno

Steve Marshall — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:38:00 GMT

Lundin Petroleum has unveiled key contract awards for its planned Luno oilfield off Norway after presenting a Nkr24 billion ($4 billion) plan for the development to the Oil & Energy Ministry on Thursday.

Norway field duo in harmony

Steve Marshall — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:07:07 GMT

An agreement is close on a co-ordinated development of the Draupne and Luno fields off Norway by respective operators Det Norske Oljeselskap and Lundin Petroleum.

TNK-BP starts Vietnam drilling

Andrew Hobbs — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:27:38 GMT

Russian oil producer TNK-BP has started natural gas drilling operations on the Lan Do field development project offshore Vietnam, the company has announced.

Shell to become Crux operator

Andrew Hobbs — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:35:05 GMT

Shell will become operator of a joint venture between Osaka Gas and Nexus Energy for the development of the Australian independent’s Crux field in Western Australia's Browse basin.

Rialto gets Gazelle funding

Josh Lewis — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:00:30 GMT

Australia-listed Rialto Energy has received a proposed funding offer from the private sector lending arm of the World Bank which it will use to help develop its Gazelle field, off the Ivory Coast.