Scottish Renewables call for hydro power potential to be unlocked
Scottish Renewables will today call for a new body to examine the potential of hydro power to unlock £1billion of investment and deliver a boost to UK energy security.
Oil & Gas
Expro chief financial officer says North Sea packed with opportunity
Well services giant Expro International hailed record sales growth as deep water activity - particularly in Asia - narrowed the firm’s bottom line losses.
Cable deal a “game changer” for Kintore company
Cable Solutions Worldwide hailed a multi-million pound deal with Aker Solutions and Kvaerner as a “game changer” for the firm’s fortunes.
Cluff sitting on a vast gas resource
North Sea pioneer Algy Cluff’s coal gasification business is well placed to set to help secure UK energy supply, a report has claimed. Cluff Natural Resources, which owns a number of near-shore licensed fields where coal can used to produce “syngas”, is estimated to be sitting on a potential 3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas on a conservative conversion, analysts at brokers Panmure Gordon said
FAI opens into death of diver on North Sea platform
A diver was pulled motionless from the water after carrying out practice rescue drills at an oil platform in the North Sea, a fatal accident inquiry heard yesterday.
Expro announces record growth after confirming $2billion order book
Increased revenue in the UK, Asia and Africa saw Expro record bumper financial figures.
Tullow poaches BP’s ex-vice president
Irish explorer Tullow Oil has appointed BP’s former executive vice president of exploration as its non-executive director.
BP and Amec leaders head-up Oil & Gas UK board
Oil & Gas UK today confirmed two senior appointments to its board.
Russia gives Ukraine leeway on gas as five rebels die in Luhansk
Russia is ready to consider lowering the price paid by Ukraine if the country pays its debt, Miller said in an e-mailed statement. Ukraine still owes for supplies in April and May. Russia plans to submit a United Nations Security Council resolution today seeking a cease-fire and peace talks in eastern Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a televised news briefing in Moscow. The proposal would create humanitarian aid corridors, allowing civilians to seek safety and access for the Red Cross. “We deliberately framed our resolution in a depoliticized way, focusing on measures that can quickly relieve the suffering of the civilian population,” Lavrov said. “We hope the humanitarian character of our resolution will be understood correctly by the UN Security Council and will be adopted rapidly.”
Seadrill secures $1.1billion job with Total Nigeria
Offshore drilling firm Seadrill has secured a $1.1billion contract with Total for the French giant’s ultra-deep offshore Egina project in Nigeria.
Leni advances Goudron development with steady output
Leni Gas and Oil’s (LGO) first development well in Trinidad Goudron field has begun production at a steady flow rate.
Drilling starts on Butch South West
The Centrica-operated Butch South West well in the Norwegian North Sea has been spudded, licence shareholder Faroe Petroleum today confirmed.
The Bennachie Oilfield
University of Aberdeen geologist Dr Stuart Archer explains how he brings reservoirs to life for his students.
Marathon Oil sells Norwegian assets, retains UK business
Marathon Oil today confirmed it will sell off its Norwegian units for $2.1billion.
Seismic sweep designed to test Breagh potential
Working with GeoPartners Ltd, UAE seismic survey company Polarcus has acquired 1,460sq.km of high density broadband multi-client 3D seismic data across the north of Quad 42 in the UK Southern North Sea.
Midlands shale hopes for Union Jack
Onshore explorer Union Jack Oil has identified potential shale resources in its 10% owned Midlands asset.
Weatherford teams with Chinese firms
Weatherford, Sinopec Oilfield Service Corporation and Shengli Highland Petroleum Equipment have entered into an agreement to form a new equity JV company in China.
Aubin lift bags grabbing interest
Aubin has opened discussions with Norwegian and UK interests following successful West Coast trials with its LiquiBuoy gel bag-based subsea lifting system. However, subsea business director Serina Alif told Energy that it is too early to determine where the discussions might lead or when and where related trials might take place. The Ellon company is fresh from successful trials with the system at the Underwater Centre, Fort William, where it was deployed handling a 300kg subsea spool piece unit, also a steel clump weight of three tonnes in water depths to 100m.
Fugro strengthens GoM presence
Dutch group Fugro is expanding its survey fleet in the Gulf of Mexico to include a new AUV . . . the Echo Surveyor VII, and a new vessel . . . the Fugro Americas.
Aberdeen presence pays huge dividends for consultancy
ERM's North Sea business is growing so rapidly that it has relocated to a larger home in Europe's oil capital way ahead of when had been anticipated.
North Sea sweet to sour specialist’s career in bugs
Raymond Pirie specialises in bugs and has done for decades, starting his career at the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen during 1968 before throwing his lot in with the oil industry during the early years of North Sea oil.
Statoil’s $7billion Mariner voyage now well under way
Eighteen months ago, the UK's Department of Energy & Climate Change approved the development plans for Mariner, a heavy oilfield that was discovered in 1981 but which failed to make the commercial grade until acquired by Statoil and re-engineered.
Schlumberger cracks reservoir mapping-while-drilling technology challenge with world-first
The pool of genius that has long characterised Schlumberger has done it again with a reservoir mapping-while-drilling technology that is now being offered to the market.
ATR bigs up in Foveran
Aberdeen-based ATR Group has invested £1million in new equipment and almost doubled its workshop facility to meet a growing demand from the subsea sector.
Norwegian authorities reject Greenpeace’s Statoil appeal
The Norwegian authorities have rejected Greenpeace’s appeal to stop Statoil from drilling the country's northernmost exploration well.