Mexico President's Pemex Plans Rattle Debt-holders
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's declaration of war on "neo-liberal" economics has shaken investors holding Petroleos Mexicanos bonds, fueling concern about the future of the highly-indebted state oil company he has pledged to revive.Ratings agencies and three managers spoken…
AET Grows in Brazil
With the ongoing development of deepwater pre-salt plays and a decreased demand on local content in tankers and other vessels, Brazilian national operator Petrobras and other super-majors have been looking abroad for better rates and reliable operators of shuttle tankers. Claudio Paschoa…
Verus Petroleum Mulls 12-Fold Production Growth
Aberdeen, UK-based Verus Petroleum has secured a 12-fold increase in its production – from 1,500 to 18,000 barrels per day in less than a year – with the closing of three recent acquisitions on the UK Continental Shelf.A press release from the petroleum exploration and production services…
Eni Makes New Oil Find Offshore Angola
Italy's Eni said it ha struck a new oil discovery in the Afoxé exploration prospect located in Block 15/06, offshore Angola.The discovery, estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million barrels of light oil in place, was made in the Afoxé-1 NFW well located in the southeast area of Block 15/06…
Hess, Conoco Raise 2019 Production Outlook
Oil and gas producer Hess Corp and Conocophillips both expect production for 2019 to be higher than this year even as they spend roughly the same amount of money on exploration, the companies said on Monday.Investors have been urging U.S. oil companies to increase returns on tight spending at a time when they are also looking beyond the Permian Basin…
Eni Starts Production at Vandumbu Field
Italy's Eni said it has started production from the Vandumbu field in Block 15/06 through West Hub N’Goma floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO).Block 15/06 is located approximately 350 kilometers northwest of Luanda and 130 kilometers west of Soyo, Angola.Eni said first oil from the Vandumbu field was achieved in late November…
Petronet Seeks Long-term Deal to Buy US LNG
Top Indian gas importer Petronet LNG is looking to sign a deal in a year's time to buy at least 1 million tonnes of U.S. natural gas annually for a period of up to 10 years, as it pushes to diversify its supply sources beyond the Middle East.As part of any deal, the firm could potentially take a stake in a U.S.
UKCS Still Worth Investment Despite Brexit -Equinor
Norwegian oil and gas firm Equinor will remain committed to the mature British continental shelf regardless of the country's plans to leave the European Union, a senior executive told Reuters.British Prime Minister Theresa May abruptly decided on Monday to pull a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal…
Egypt Okays BP, Mubadala Acquisition of Stake in Eni's Noor Concession
Egypt’s petroleum ministry has signed an agreement for UK Petroleum giant British Petroleum (BP) and UAE investment fund Mubadala to buy a 45 percent stake in the country's Noor offshore natural gas concesion in the Mediterannean from Italy’s Eni.In the concession, which is in participation with Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS)…
Sound Energy Starts Drilling Well in Eastern Morocco
Moroccan focused upstream gas company Sound Energy confirmed that the drilling at TE-10, the second well of a planned three exploration well campaign in Eastern Morocco, has commenced.The TE-10 well will test the North East Lakbir prospect in the Company's Greater Tendrara permit and is located…
US Oil Drillers Cut Most Rigs Since May 2016
U.S. drillers this week cut oil rigs by the most in over two year even as record production has turned the United States into a net oil exporter for the first time in history.Energy companies cut 10 oil rigs in the week to Dec. 7, the biggest weekly decline since May 2016, bringing the total count down to 877…
Petrobras Nears Terms Over TAG Pipeline Sale
Brazil’s state-controlled oil company Petróleo Brasileiro could present a new sale and purchase agreement (SPA) before the end of December for the sale of the Transportadora Associada de Gás (TAG) pipeline, after a Brazilian Supreme Court injunction in July stalled the sale.The sale of TAG…
Crude Inventory Growth Reverses
U.S. crude inventory declined last week. The latest weekly survey results by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicate a fall of 7.3 million barrels in the week ended November 30. This follows a 10-week streak of crude inventory build that has been striking fears of a repeat of the 2014/16 oil glut.While EIA data include only U.S.
Equinor, Faroe Petroleum in Asset Swap
Britain's Faroe Petroleum has agreed to swap oil and gas fields with Norwegian state firm Equinor as it fights a hostile takeover from Norwegian oil and gas operator DNO.It appears that Faroe in fight-back mode after DNO’s so-called ‘opportunistic’ bid.The oil and gas company focusing principally on exploration…
Carnarvon Petroleum Secures Noble Tom Prosser Jack-up Drill Rig
Australian oil and gas exploration and production company Carnarvon Petroleum has secured a Noble Tom Prosser jack-up drilling rig for two appraisal wells at the Dorado joint venture oil, gas and condensate discovery offshore Western Australia.The energy sector company said in a press release…
Talos Energy Begins Zama Discovery Appraisal Program
Talos Energy has spudded its Zama-2 appraisal well, beginning the Zama discovery appraisal program, which will consist of three reservoir penetrations, including two wells and one sidetrack.The Zama discovery, which is located in Block 7 in the Sureste Basin, is planned to be developed with…
Murphy Oil Closes Gulf of Mexico JV
Murphy Oil Corporation announced that it has closed its previously announced deal to form a Gulf of Mexico joint venture with Petrobras.The global independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company said in a press release that its wholly owned subsidiary, Murphy Exploration & Production Company - USA…
ExxonMobil Makes Discovery Off Guyana
U.S. major ExxonMobil has made its 10th discovery offshore Guyana and increased its estimate of the discovered recoverable resource for the Stabroek Block to more than 5 billion oil-equivalent barrels, reinforcing potential for at least five floating storage, production and offloading (FPSO) vessels producing more than 750…
Aquaterra to Install Two Platforms for FIRST E&P in Nigeria
Global offshore engineering solutions provider Aquaterra Energy in conjunction with Maerlin Nigeria Ltd, its local partner, has been awarded a contract by FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Ltd (FIRST E&P) to design, engineer and install two non-identical Sea Swift conductor…
Pemex Crude Oil Output, Exports Fall
Mexican national oil company Pemex's crude output dipped to 1.76 million barrels per day (bpd) in October, down more than 7 percent compared with the same month last year, according to company data released on Monday.October crude output marked one of the lowest monthly production levels since 1990…
Ecopetrol Sets 2019 Investment at $3.5 billion
Colombian state-run oil company Ecopetrol said on Tuesday it will invest between $3.5 billion and $4 billion in 2019, slightly above this year as it bolsters spending on exploration and production projects.The investment is the backbone of an ambitious plan to boost production and explore for more oil to replenish dwindling reserves.
Montha-1 Exploration Well Disappoints KrisEnergy
KrisEnergy, a Southeast Asian upstream company, focuses on the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas, has failed to find significant hydrocarbon shows in the Montha-1 exploration well in the reservation area of the G10/48 license in the Gulf of Thailand.The Singapore-based said in a stock exchange annoucement that Montha-1…
Big Oil Digs North Sea's 'Final Frontier'
"Little hope of THIS rock ever producing oil," BP geologist Bill Senior scribbled in 1977 on a note assessing a recent oil discovery in a distant corner of the North Sea.That same rock is today the heart of BP's prized Clair field in the West of Shetland region, which this week started its…
Eni Norge Granted Drilling Permit
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Eni Norge AS a drilling permit for well 7122/7-7 S, cf. Section 15 of the Resource Management Regulations.The well will be drilled from the West Hercules drilling facility after concluding the drilling of wildcat well for Equinor Energy…
Equinor Energy Strikes Gas in Barents Sea
Norwegian multinational energy company Equinor Energy has made discovery containing up to 24billion cubic feet of gas in the Barents Sea. Two exploration targets were found, with the first containing between 10 and 20billion cubic feet, the other between one and four billion.The discovery’s profitability is currently unclear…
Lundin to Drill Barents Sea Well
Europe's independent oil and gas exploration and production company Lundin Norway will drill and test a new exploration well in the Barents Sea, following approval by the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA)."Lundin is the operator for production licence 767. We have now given the company consent for exploration drilling and testing of well 7121/1-2 S…
Faroe Petroleum Spuds Well off Norway Coast
Aberdeen-headquartered Faroe Petroleum has started drilling the Brasse East exploration well off the coast of Norway.The oil and gas company focusing principally on exploration, appraisal and production opportunities in Norway and the UK announced the commencement of the Faroe-operated well 31/7-3 S in the Northern North Sea…
Cepsa Appoints Musabbeh Al Kaabi as Chairman
Spanish multinational oil and gas company Cepsa announced that Musabbeh Al Kaabi was named as Chairman in succession to Suhail Al Mazrouei at a meeting of the Board of Cepsa.This follows the appointment by Mubadala, as sole shareholder, of Saeed Al Mazrouei, Ahmed Saeed Al Calily and Bakheet…
Chevron: First Oil From Big Foot
U.S. supermajor Chevron announced that its operated Big Foot deepwater project in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico has started crude oil and natural gas production.The field is located approximately 225 miles (360 km) south of New Orleans, La., in a water depth of approximately 5,200 feet (1,584 m.).
Russian Oil Firm Signs Initial Exploration Deal with South Sudan
Russia's Zarubezhneft has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Sudan to explore four oil blocks, South Sudan's petroleum minister said on Tuesday.The company was awaiting more information on the blocks from the Petroleum Ministry before starting exploration, Petroleum Minister Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth told Reuters.Other foreign firms active in South S
Philippine Senators Ask Duterte to Disclose China Energy Plan
Philippine opposition senators have demanded President Rodrigo Duterte reveal details of joint energy exploration plans with China, warning such a deal risked affirming Chinese territorial claims that are not recognized under international law.Early this year, the two countries set up a joint…
Equinor Plans More International Wells
Norwegian oil and gas firm Equinor plans to drill more exploration wells internationally and more onshore wells in 2019 compared to this year, the company's head of exploration said on Tuesday."In general, there will be more international activity, and a larger share of onshore activity," Tim Dodson told Reuters on the sidelines of an Equinor conference.Equi
Novatek in Nyakhartinskoye Field Gas Find
Russia's largest independent natural gas producer Novatek announced that its wholly owned subsidiary OOO Novatek-Yurkharovneftegas, upon testing of the exploration well PO-1 achieved commercial flows of natural gas from the Lower Cretaceous sediments at the Nyakhartinskiy license area with…
Turkey Warns Against Energy Exploration with Greek Cypriot Govt
Turkey warned energy companies on Sunday against working with the Greek Cypriot government in carrying out exploratory drilling in the eastern Mediterranean, saying such activities could damage regional stability.The eastern Mediterranean is believed to be rich in natural gas, and attempts…
Leadership Changes at Anadarko
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation announced Thursday that Bob Gwin, formerly Executive Vice President (EVP), Finance and CFO, has been named President. In his new role, Gwin will be responsible for leading Anadarko's worldwide operations, project management, exploration, midstream and marketing…
Georgia Bullish on Offshore Natural Gas and Oil Reserves
Georgia Petroleum Council noted released results from a new study highlighting how Georgia’s economy could benefit from over $200 million in tax revenues as a result of offshore leasing in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).“Cutting-edge technology can safely and accurately discover…
MENA Region to Lead Global Oil and Gas for Decades to Come: DNV GL
The world will need less energy from the 2030s onwards, but it will still require a significant amount of oil and gas in the lead-up to mid-century according to DNV GL’s 2018 Energy Transition Outlook, an independent forecast of the world energy mix in the lead-up to 2050.The report says…
Angola Battles to Revive Oil Exploration
On Saturday, nearly two decades after securing the initial rights, Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanné was in Luanda to snip the ribbon on a $16 billion oil project. It's not clear when he, or his peers, will be cracking open the bubbly in Angola again.Without another mega-project like Total's Kaombo on the horizon and fields getting old…
UK Offshore Licensing Round 'Encouraging'
The U.K.’s latest offshore licensing round has attracted 36 applications covering 164 blocks in frontier areas of the U.K. Continental Shelf (UKCS). A strong and diverse set of applications were received from 35 companies ranging from multinationals to microbusinesses.“This is an encouraging set of applications, demonstrating that interest in U.K.
Changing Shale Field to Boost Gas Output
China's Changning shale gas field in southwestern Sichuan province will more than double its output during the winter heating season after putting new wells into operation, China's top oil and gas group CNPC said on Wednesday.Daily output at the field, which began operating in 2015, is expected to reach 12 million cubic metres during the heating season from
OMV, Sapura Energy Sign Pact
Malaysia’s Sapura Energy has entered into a heads of agreement with Austria’s OMV to form a strategic partnership and acquire half of Sapura Upstream for $1.6 billion."Under the agreements, OMV Exploration and Production GmbH (OMV E&P), a wholly-owned subsidiary of OMV Aktiengesellschaft…
Corallian Energy on Course for Wick Exploration Well in December
UK-based Corallian Energy has revealed that the UK Government had looked favourably upon its plans for two offshore exploration wells.The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning, which sits within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has advised…
Ca Tam Field to Start Production January 15
Vietsovpetro, a Vietnam-Russia oil joint venture, will start crude oil production at the Ca Tam field offshore southern Vietnam from Jan. 15, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.Ca Tam is the first new field to be brought into production in Vietnam in years after a 2014 plunge in oil prices slashed exploration.
Cooper Energy: Sole Pipeline Test Fails
Australia-based Cooper Energy says testing of the newly installed Sole pipeline in the eastern Gippsland basin offshore Victoria, southeast Australia has revealed localized damage."Laying of the 65 km pipeline to link the recently completed Sole production wells offshore Victoria to the Orbost Gas Plant has been completed by the contractor.
Digitalization Can Save Upstream Business $73 Bln a Year
Energy firms could save an annual $73 billion within five years in oil and gas exploration and production by making better use of existing computing technology, energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said.Exploration and production, known as the upstream industry, requires energy firms to analyze…
Total Launches $16 Bln Project Offshore Angola
Africa's second largest crude producer Angola and France's Total officially inaugurated a new deep-sea oil field worth $16 billion in the Atlantic approximately 260 kilometers from the capital Luanda.The Angolan State Minister for Economic and Social Development, Manuel Nunes Junior, the Chairman and CEO of Total…
Hess Corp Completes Drilling on Aspy Well Offshore
The exploration and production company Hess Corporation said that Aspy probe did not encounter commercial quantities of hydrocarbons.Hess Corporation announced in a press statement that drilling of the Aspy exploration well offshore Nova Scotia reached total depth of 7,400 meters."The prospect…
Total Wins 40% Stake in Unconventional Gas Concession
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has awarded a 40 per cent stake in the Ruwais Diyab gas concession to French energy major Total.Adnoc group, for which the award is an important milestone to reach the target of 1 Bcfd of unconventional gas production before 2030, said in a press release…
US Drillers Add Rigs for Fourth Week in Five
U.S. energy firms added oil rigs for a fourth time in the last five, keeping the rig count at its highest in over three years even though crude futures were on track to fall for a fifth week in a row to their lowest level since February.Drillers added 12 oil rigs in the week to Nov. 9, bringing the total count to 886…
OMV Forms JV with Sapura
Austria's OMV has agreed to establish a joint venture with Malaysia's Sapura Energy Bhd , paying $540 million for a 50 percent stake in its exploration assets in line with its strategy to expand in Southeast Asia.Sapura Energy will transfer $350 million of its debt into the new firm, called SEB Upstream Sdn Bhd (SUP), of which OMV has agreed to refinance hal
Ultra Petroleum Appoints David Honeyfield as CFO
Ultra Petroleum informed that David Honeyfield has been appointed to serve as CFO of the gas producer with assets in Wyoming’s Green River Basin.A press release from the energy company engaged in domestic natural gas and oil exploration, development and production said that Honeyfield has…
API Enhances Offshore Safety Standard
The American Petroleum Institute (API) released its newest valve standard as part of the industry’s continuous efforts to improve operational safety and environmental protection.According to a release from the agency, the “Specification 6A” governs the design and operations of the critical…
Tailwind Completes EOG UK Acquisition
London-based Tailwind Energy has announced the completion of the acquisition of Houston-headquartered oil and gas firm EOG Resources's UK portfolio. The oil and gas venture announced two months ago it has agreed with EOG Resources Inc to acquire EOG’s UK business, subject to regulatory approvals.
Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi Meets Angola's president
Eni president Claudio Descalzi has met Angola's president Joao Goncalves Lourenco in Luanda to discuss the Italian energy giant's operations in the country.During the meeting with President João Lourenço, Claudio Descalzi said that they discussed the participation of the Italian multinational…
Novatek Secures South-Leskinskiy License
Russia's largest independent natural gas producer PAO Novatek has secured a new exploration license on the Gydan peninsula.The seventh largest publicly traded company globally by natural gas production volume said in a press release that its unit Novatek-Yurkharovneftegas won the auction for geological survey…
UK: Enough Oil and Gas Reserves for the Next 20 Years
The UK has enough oil reserves to sustain production for the next 20 years and beyond, new figures indicate.A report published by the UK Government suggests that the overall remaining recoverable reserves and resources in the North Sea range from 10 to 20 billion barrels plus of oil equivalent.The…
UK Petroleum Reserves Could Sustain Production for 20 Years
The U.K.’s oil and gas reserves remain at a level which could sustain production for at least the next 20 years and beyond if additional undeveloped resources can be matured, according to the U.K. Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).OGA’s ‘UK Oil and Gas: Reserves and Resources’ report, published…
Panoro Energy Buys OMV Tunisia
London-based E&P company Panoro Energy said its Norwegian subsidiary Panoro Tunisia Production has reached an agreement with OMV Exploration & Production GmbH to acquire 100 percent of the shares of OMV Tunisia Upstream GmbH.According to the Oslo-listed company, the acquisition is for a cash…
GOIL to Partner in Exxon Deepwater Field
Ghana has approved state-owned company GOIL as minority local partner for Exxon Mobil's deepwater offshore oilfield, Energy Minister Peter Amewu said on Wednesday.The West African nation is receiving "huge interest" from international and local oil companies after the government launched its first bidding rounds for offshore blocks last month…
Gabon Launches Offshore Exploration Round
Gabon plans to scrap a 35 percent corporate tax on energy companies as part of a revised hydrocarbons law and has launched a new offshore oil and gas exploration licensing round for 34 blocks, Oil Minister Pascal Ambouroue said on Wednesday.In March, Gabon, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries…
