Seadrill appoints new director
A director with rig company Seadrill has stepped down from his position on the board. Carl Erik Steen resigned from the board with immediate effect, and a successor has been chosen to take his place.
oil
Three oil workers dead after platform collapses
A special commission has been set up by Azerbaijan’s state owned oil company SOCAR, after three workers were killed in an accident at an oil and gas platform in the Caspian Sea. A statement from SOCAR said structures had collapsed during repair works after a wagon-house fell into the sea and caused a fire.
Atlantis Resources raises £5million in shares
Atlantis Resources has raised £5million after placing 12.5million shares for sale. The money raised will finance the contribution of the company to the MeyGen project and pay fees associated with the seabed lease at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy in Canada.
Former BG chief sets up LNG business
The former chief operating officer of BG Group, Martin J Houston, has launched an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) business. Parallax Energy announced the launch of its worldwide headquarters in Houston this week.
Ophir Energy makes Gabon gain
Oil and gas explorer Ophir Energy has signed two further production sharing contracts for blocks in Gabon. The new blocks, A3 and A4, are located near to Ophir’s existing acreage in the North Gabon basin.
Karoon Gas snaps up Petrobas rig
Karoon Gas Australia has taken possession of the Olinda Star semi-submersible drilling rig from Petrobas. The rig, which is currently in the Campos Basin, is expected to be on location in the Santos Basin within the next few days.
Oil discovery near Gatwick
Oil has been discovered at the Horse Hill-1 well, which sits just 3km from Gatwick airport in the Weald Basin. UK Oil and Gas, which owns a 20% working interest in the development, said preliminary evaluation of the electric logs has shown an oil accumulation in the conventional Upper Jurassic Portland Sandstone.
Chevron and BP make oil discovery in GOM
Oil major Chevron has made a new oil discovery in the Gulf of Mexico. The company said a significant oil pay had been made at the Keathley Canyon Block 10 in the Guadalupe prospect.
Diamond Offshore wins charter contracts
Diamond Offshore Drilling has won a number of long-term charter contracts from US independent Hess for a pair of drillships. The Houston-based company also announced plans to retire and scrap six of its mid-water submersible rigs, including the Ocean Epoch, Ocean New Era and Ocean Whittington.
Penn West sells $355million of core assets
Penn West Petroleum has signed an agreement to sell a number of its non-core assets in Canada for $355million to a private company. The assets in south central Alberta are currently producing around 7,500BOE (Barrels of Oil Equivalent) per day.
TGS sees only slight dip in Q3 profits
Norwegian oil and gas geoscience specialists TGS have seen a slight dip in their third quarter profits compared with 2013. The company’s net revenues were $190million, $1million less since the same time last year.
PGS profits slashed in Q3
Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) has seen its profits slashed in the third quarter as it suffered from a weak seismic market and falling oil prices.
Heads of airport where Total CEO died both resign
The chief executive and deputy of Russia’s Vnukovo airport have both resigned following the death of Total boss Christophe de Margerie. In a statement the airport said it had accepted the resignations of Andrei Dyakov and his deputy Sergei Solnstev.
Baron Oil makes unexpected discovery in Peru
South American focused Baron Oil has won approval from state-owned Perupetro to convert its third work phase from seismic into a drilling obligation after additional hydrocarbon discoveries. The Peruvian oil and gas provider also approved the company’s Force Majeure (FM) clause, which will be invoked on Block Z-34 in the country.
Kenya campaign bears fruit for Tullow Oil
Tullow Oil has discovered hydrocarbon shows at its Kodos-1 exploration well in Kenya. It has been undertaking a series of exploration and appraisal activities in Blocks 10BB and 13T onshore in East Africa.
Chariot Oil ends licence in Northern Namibian blocks
Atlantic-focused explorer Chariot Oil will not extend its current exploration licence in the Northern Blocks of offshore Namibia. The company said they will not apply for further use of blocks 1811A&B when the license ends on October 26.
Companies strike merger deal
Donnycreek Energy has entered into an arm’s length agreement with Contact Exploration to merge and create a new corporation. The two companies will become Kicking Horse Energy and the merger will consolidate the interests of Donnycreek in Alberta, Canada.
BHP records 9% increase in production
Australian oil and gas giant BHP Billiton has reported a 9% increase in production during its third quarter results for 2014. Petroleum production increased by 7% to 67.4MMboe (Million Barrels of Oil Equivalent) as onshore US liquids volumes rose by 49% to 11.5 MMboe.
Interoil strikes hydrocarbons in Papua New Guinea
Well testing will now be carried out at Raptor-1 to determine the hydrocarbon type, column, flow rate and reservoir quality. Raptor-1 is 12km west of Interoil’s Elk-Antelope gas field.
JKX uncovers potential gas signs in Ukraine
JKX Oil and Gas has seen potential gas signs at the Elizavetovskoye field in Ukraine. The company said the testing of well E-303 had indicated a gross pay of 167 metres, spread over eight reservoir horizons.
Total will continue to “move forward” following death of CEO
French oil giant Total said it will continue to "move froward" following the death of chief executive officer Christophe de Margerie.
BP strikes deal for EOR technology
Oil giant BP has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi’s offshore company ADMA-OPCO to develop a new technology for enhance oil recovery (EOR). Senior officials from the company recently visited BP’s EOR laboratory in Sunbury and research centre in Pangbourne.
Bad weather hampers work at oilfield
Bad weather is continuing to hamper seismic recording by Greenfield Petroleum in the Gum Deniz oilfield in Azerbaijan. The company said conditions have affected work on a 3D survey over the field and the area recorded is now likely to drop to 100km due to the approaching winter season.
Statoil wins big with oil discovery
Statoil has discovered more oil at one of its sites in the North Sea than previously estimated. The Norwegian company said drilling at Well 25/8-18 S, had proved an oil column of 25 metres in the Heimal formation.
Speakers for Israel oil and gas conference confirmed
Energy experts from across the globe will join forces in Israel for an oil and gas exhibition. The Universal Oil and Gas 2014 (UOG 2014) is expected to be the largest event of its kind in the country, and aims to create a platform for collaboration and partnership in the Israeli oil and gas industry.