‘Unfinished business’ brings North Sea oil boss back to the basin
North Sea oil and gas veteran Graham Stewart said yesterday a sense of “unfinished business” spurred his decision to launch a new, acquisition-hungry player.
UK
UK Supreme Court to hear Halliburton insurance wrangle on $1.1bn Deepwater Horizon payments
A dispute between Halliburton and its insurer over its $1.1bn (£855m) Deepwater Horizon oil spill payments will be presided over by the UK’s highest court today.
Aberdeen and Inverness ranked among top 10 cities to live and work in UK
Inverness and Aberdeen are ranked top in Scotland, and among the top 10 locations overall in league tables of the best cities to live and work in the UK.
UK Government halts fracking over earthquake fears
Controversial fracking will no longer be allowed because of new scientific analysis, the UK Government has said.
Ichthys incident highlights offshore divers’ ‘fear’ to speak up – union boss
The UK diving industry may need to reassess its reporting culture in light of a serious incident off the coast of Australia, according to a union boss.
Norwegian companies seek waiver for UK workers as Brexit looms
The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise is seeking special dispensation for British citizens working in the Nordic country, saying the oil and gas industry risks being hit hard if the UK exits the European Union without an agreement, Dagens Naeringsliv reported.
More commercial innovation in North Sea than any other part of the world, says BHGE
The North Sea is producing more commercial innovations than any other part of the world, according to a boss at Baker Hughes GE (BHGE).
Lots of talk but ‘very little real action’ on UK decarbonisation
A company in the US called ZeroAvia has just installed a hydrogen fuel cell powered electric powertrain in a six-seater aircraft.
New wave of UK project sanctions out to 2022, Rystad predicts
The UK offshore scene is poised for a timely comeback, according to energy consultancy Rystad.
No sign of deal flow between Norway and Aberdeen letting up
More Norwegian acquisitions of UK oil and gas assets and businesses are on the cards later this year and into 2020, a top Aberdeen accountant has said.
Updated: Petrofac ‘well positioned’ for 2019 amid first-half profit
Energy services firm Petrofac said it was “well positioned” for the remainder of 2019, but warned of a drop in revenues ahead.
UK tech firms secure record foreign investment
Investment in the UK tech sector has continued to surge, as British firms secured more foreign funding in the first seven months of 2019 than during the whole of 2018, according to new research.
Updated: HSE stats reveal 235 dangerous occurrences in UK North Sea last year
New figures published by the UK’s safety regulator have revealed there were 235 dangerous occurrences in the North Sea last year.
US threatens sanctions after Gibraltar court releases Iranian tanker
The U.S. is gravely disappointed with the U.K. after a Gibraltar court allowed the release of an Iranian tanker suspected of hauling oil to Syria, and threatened sanctions against ports, banks and anyone else who does business with the ship or its crew, two administration officials said.
Bilfinger praises ‘strong demand’ for offshore business
German industrial services giant Bilfinger saw “strong demand” for its offshore services in the UK and Norway in the first half of the year.
Exxon considering sale of UK North Sea assets – report
ExxonMobil is considering a sale of its North Sea assets as it focusses on US shale production, according to a news report.
Iran says it expects tanker held by UK to be released soon
Iran expects an oil tanker seized by the U.K. in the Strait of Gibraltar in July will be released soon, the semi-official Fars News agency reported Tuesday, a move that could help to ease concerns about the safety of shipping routes in the Middle East.
London finds no easy answers after once-in-a-decade blackout
When two U.K. power plants shut down almost simultaneously in London’s first major blackout for a decade, it triggered a storm of questions about how to avoid another failure.
Erosion threatens UK gas terminal with collapse into North Sea
On the evening of Dec. 5, 2013, the U.K. east coast was battered by the worst storm surge in 60 years as the North Sea rose more than 2 meters (6.6 feet) above normal.
Maersk Drilling wins three-well UK contract with Perenco
Maersk Drilling has announced the award of a three-well contract in the UK North Sea with Perenco.
Former Unaoil executive pleads guilty in Serious Fraud Office bribery case
A former Unaoil executive has pleaded guilty to five offences of conspiracy to give corrupt payments amid a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation.
Schlumberger appoints former North Sea boss as new chief executive
Oilfield services giant Schlumberger has appointed a former North Sea boss as its new chief executive.
Noble rig gets extension with Total in UK
Drilling rig operator Noble has given an update on its fleet, including two new contract extensions in the UK and Middle East.
North Sea’s 2018 decom costs £400m lower than expected
North Sea decommissioning costs were £400million lower than expected in 2018, according to a new report from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).
UK market sending out ‘strong economic signals’ for more gas storage
Two years after the U.K.’s largest natural gas storage site slipped into retirement, demand for new places to keep the fuel is ratcheting up.