| N. America – Mexico |
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| McDermott to Build, Install Ayatsil Platform |
| May 23, 2012 – McDermott International has received a contract for the new Ayatsil-B drilling platform for PEMEX in the Bay of Campeche Ayatsil field. McDermott will undertake the engineering, procurement, fabrication, pre-commissioning, load-out and sea fastening of the Ayatsil-B eight-leg jacket and deck, weighing about 11,650 tonnes for installation in waters 377 feet (115 meters) deep. McDermott will also carry out transportation and installation analysis of the structures, and will conduct training for Pemex personnel for the facility operation and maintenance. At peak, more than 500 personnel will be engaged on the project. Completion is expected during the third quarter of 2013. |
| Project Details: Ayatsil |
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| Africa – Other |
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| Anadarko Finds Major Gas Accumulation in Rovuma Basin |
| May 22, 2012 – Anadarko Petroleum has discovered a major natural gas accumulation in the Golfinho exploration well offshore Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin. The Golfinho discovery well encountered more than 193 net feet (59 net meters) of natural gas pay in two high-quality Oligocene fan systems that are age-equivalent to, but geologically distinct from, the previous discoveries in the Prosperidade complex. “The Golfinho discovery, which is entirely contained within the Offshore Area 1 block, adds an estimated 7 to 20-plus Tcf of incremental recoverable resources over a significant areal extent. This new discovery is only 10 miles offshore, providing potential cost advantages for future development options,” stated Anadarko. The Golfinho exploration well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 14,885 feet (4,537 meters), in water depths of approximately 3,370 feet (1,027 meters). Once operations are complete at Golfinho, the partnership plans to mobilize the Belford Dolphin (UDW drillship) to drill the Atum-1 exploration well. |
| Project Details: Golfinho (Anadarko) |
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| Australia |
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| AWE Identifies Potential Prospects in Tui Area |
 May 23, 2012 – Pan Pacific Petroleum, a partner on the Tui field, reported that the joint venture has further progressed evaluation of the Tui Area upside and has identified two potential development infill opportunities and two prospects, which are currently being further matured to enable the JV to decide on possible drilling plans. Subject to approval and rig availability, drilling is planned for 4Q 2012 – 1Q 2013. |
| Project Details: Tui |
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| Oilex Plans to Drill Bazertete, Tutuala Prospects by Year-End |
| May 23, 2012 – Oilex has finalized evaluation of the Bazartete and Tutuala prospects which have both emerged as attractive drilling candidates, according to the company. The Bazartete prospect has been selected by the Joint Venture participants as the third commitment well based on an assessment of a higher chance of success than Tutuala and proximity to potential oil charge modeled from the southern part of the contract area based on offset well calibration. Oilex estimates mean recoverable resources for Bazartete (within JPDA06-103) of 65 MMbbls with an upside of 164 MMbbls. Subject to rig availability, drilling is targeted for 3Q 2012. |
| Project Details: Tutuala |
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| Africa – West |
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| Chariot Secures Rig to Drill Nimrod Prospect |
| May 21, 2012 – Chariot Oil & Gas Limited and partners have reached an agreement with Ocean Rig UDW to use the Ocean Rig Poseidon (UDW drillship) to drill the Kabelijou (2714/6-1) well at the Nimrod prospect. The Poseidon, which is currently on a long-term contract with the operator, is anticipated to arrive on location in July 2012. Drilling operations will commence shortly thereafter. The Nimrod prospect is located in the Orange Basin in Southern Block 2714A where Chariot has a 25 percent equity interest. The Kabeljou well is expected to take approximately two months to drill. The drilling location is 48 miles (77 kilometers) offshore Namibia in 1,181 feet (360 meters) of water with an estimated total drilling depth of 10,171 feet (3,100 meters). |
| Project Details: Nimrod |
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| Asia – SouthEast |
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| AWE Ready to Spin Bit at Atlas Prospect |
| May 23, 2012 – AWE reported it is ready to start drilling the Atlas-1 well in May 2012. The prospect is targeting a large gas opportunity in East Java Basin, and if successful, will provide ongoing prospects for further exploration. |
| Project Details: Atlas |
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| Premier Reviewing Commercial Potential of CRD Discovery |
| May 23, 2012 – Premier has completed an extensive assessment of exploration opportunities remaining in Block 07/03 and of the commercial potential of the CRD oil and gas/condensate discovery, including whether additional appraisal drilling is required. The JV participants are considering future drilling plans based on the results of this work. At least one exploration well is required to be drilled as a commitment well prior to the end of November 2013. |
| Project Details: Ca Rong Do (CRD) |
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| Premier Oil Moves Forward with Dua Development |
 May 21, 2012 – Premier Oil announced that the Dua project, a tie-in to the Chim Sao field, was formally sanctioned by Premier and Santos in April. It is expected that the necessary Vietnamese government approvals will be received during the second quarter of 2012. In the meantime, bids for FPSO modifications and the drilling rig have been received and are being evaluated. Premier continues to target 2014 for first oil. |
| Project Details: Chim Sao |
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| Otto Energy Updates Galoc Oil Reserves |
 May 21, 2012 – Otto Energy provided an update on remaining oil reserves balances at the Galoc oil field in the Philippines, performed by independent consulting firm RISC. The company confirmed the reported increase in reserves is attributable to better than expected reservoir performance to date and an extension of field life due to higher prevailing oil prices. Galoc is expected to remain in production until 2016 to 2018 on the basis of the existing two wells alone. Otto Energy estimates Contingent Resources of 1.49 MMboe (Otto share) at 2C level attributable to the Galoc Phase II development, currently progressing through Front End Engineering and Design, with a target Final Investment Decision around mid-2012. |
| Project Details: Galoc |
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| Black Sea |
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| Sterling Resources to Drill in Black Sea |
| May 24, 2012 – Sterling Resources and partners intend to drill two offshore prospects in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea by year-end. The first of the two wells to be drilled will be the Ioana prospect, located in the gas-prone Midia Block, directly northeast of the Ana and Doina discoveries. Following drilling of the Ioana well, the jackup will be relocated to the Eugenia prospect in the Pelican Block. |
| Project Details: Ioana |
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| Asia – Far East |
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| CNOOC Finds Oil in Liaodong Bay |
| May 24, 2012 – CNOOC Limited has made a discovery in the Luda (LD) 21-2 prospect in the Bohai Bay. LD 21-2 is located in the inverted structure belt of LD 22-27 in south Liaodong Bay, with its south part adjacent to the LD 27-2 oilfield. The average water depth is 66 feet (20 meters). The discovery well of LD 21-2-1D was drilled and completed at a depth of 9,288 feet (2,831 meters) and encountered oil pay zones with a total thickness of about 558 feet (170 meters), representing the thickest oil layers found in the exploration of Bohai clastic rocks in recent years. Currently, oil production at the Luda well tested at around 608 barrels per day. |
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| S. America – Other & Carib. |
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| Repsol Drills Duster at Jaguey Prospect |
| May 21, 2012 – Repsol failed to hit pay at the Jaguey prospect offshore Cuba and will begin operations to plug and abandon the well. |
| Project Details: Jaguey |
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| S. America – Brazil |
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| Respol Gears Up Appraisal Plans for BM-C-33 Block |
| May 24, 2012 – Repsol Sinopec Brazil reported that Block BM-C-33, in the deepwater Campos Basin, contains resources of more than 700 million barrels of light oil and 3 trillion cubic feet of gas. The partners are working on an appraisal plan for the area, which contains the recently discovered Seat, Gavea and Pao de Acucar fields. The latter is reportedly one of the world’s top five discoveries in 2012. The latest well, Pao de Acucar, was drilled in approximately 9,186 feet (2,800 meters) of water and 121 miles (195 kilometers) from the coast of Rio de Janeiro, and found a 1,640 foot-thick (500 meter-thick) oil column. The consortium is preparing to submit an appraisal plan for submission to ANP. |
| Project Details: Pao de Acucar |
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| Wartsila Hamworthy to Deliver Inert Gas Generator Units for Tupi, Guara FPSOs |
 May 21, 2012 – Wartsila Hamworthy will deliver inert gas generator units to eight FPSOs in the Santos Basin. Six of the units will be deployed for the Tupi fields with the other two being utilized for the Guara field. The first two units will undergo full scale testing at the factory in Moss prior to delivery, starting as soon as the end of December this year and up to the end of January 2015. Each of the units will be installed on the utility module on the FPSO inside a dedicated compartment. The eight FPSOs are currently under construction in Brazil. |
| Project Details: Lula (Tupi) |
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| Europe – North Sea |
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| Barryroe Proves Production Potential |
| May 24, 2012 – Providence Resources reported that it is “dealing with a high productivity oil system” at its Barryroe discovery, offshore Ireland in the North Celtic Sea. Providence said that well test analysis at Barryroe indicates a high-permeability basal oil-bearing reservoir interval, while the firm expects horizontal development wells to deliver “significant production rates”. Data acquired by Schlumberger during well-testing operations of the 48/24-10z Barryroe well was analyzed to find an average permeability of around 400 millidarcies, confirming high permeability. The analysis forecasts that a 1000-foot (305-meter) horizontal well could deliver around 12,500 barrels of oil per day and 11 million standard cubic feet of gas per day through a standard 4.5-ince outer diameter production tubing under natural lift. |
| Project Details: Barryroe |
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| Faroe Spuds Clapton |
| May 24, 2012 – Faroe Petroleum has commenced drilling at the Clapton prospect in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Clapton is a chalk prospect on the flanks of the salt induced Mode Dome. The well will target the Ekofisk, Tor and Hod formations, which are the main producing reservoirs in the neighboring fields. The well is being drilled using the Maersk Guardian (350′ ILC) jackup. |
| Project Details: Clapton |
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| Total to Appraise Norvarg in 2013 |
| May 24, 2012 – Total is preparing for an appraisal well on the Norvarg discovery for 2013. Total currently carries a resource estimate in excess of 200 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe). However, the resource range is wide and the need for appraisal apparent, stated the company. |
| Project Details: Norvarg |
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| MPX Halts Timon Drilling Ops |
| May 24, 2012 – The WilHunter (UDW semisub), which is drilling the Timon exploration well in the UK sector of the North Sea, has incurred technical downtime due to equipment failure. Therefore, operations at the Timon well have been temporarily suspended and the current estimated length of downtime is roughly 18 days. A further update will be released once the semisub is able to recommence normal operations, which is expected to be in early June 2012. |
| Project Details: Timon |
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| Wintershall Succesfully Appraises Maria |
| May 22, 2012 – Wintershall has successfully appraised the Maria well (6407/1-5 S) in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The purpose of the appraisal well was to delineate the Maria discovery and prove hydrocarbons in the northern extent of the structure. “Our preliminary calculations do not only confirm our original resource estimates, but support the upper end of our discovery volumes”, said Bernd Schrimpf, Managing Director of Wintershall Norge. The original Maria discovery has been estimated to contain between 60 and 120 million barrels of recoverable oil and between 2 and 5 billion standard cubic meters (sm3) of recoverable gas. |
| Project Details: Maria |
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| Development Progresses at EnQuest’s Alma/Galia Project |
| May 21, 2012 – EnQuest reported that development of the Alma/Galia project is continuing on schedule for start-up in 4Q 2013. Batch drilling of the first three wells continues; the first of these wells is in the reservoir and on prognosis. |
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| BG Group Updates Ops at Bream |
| May 21, 2012 – BG Group reported that the conceptual design of the Bream project was formally agreed among the JV partners in March and the operator has signed a FEED agreement. An invitation to tender to drill the development wells has also been issued and the JV partners anticipate achieving formal project sanction in the second half of 2012. |
| Project Details: Bream |
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| Emerson to Deliver Subsea Instrumentation for Brynhild Development |
| May 21, 2012 – Emerson will deliver its Roxar subsea instrumentation for the Brynhild field in the North Sea. The contract was awarded by Aker Solutions and covers Roxar subsea multiphase meters, subsea Sencorr pressure and temperature sensors, subsea chemical injection valves, and sand monitors. Aker Solutions will use the instrumentation as part of the rolling out of a complete subsea production system on Brynhild, with Emerson also delivering a number of downhole pressure and temperature gauges directly to Lundin Petroleum. The Brynhild field, which is currently under development, is forecasted to produce first oil in late 2013 at a gross plateau production of 12,000 bopd. |
| Project Details: Brynhild (Nemo) |
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| Premier Oil Continues with Concept Engineering, Evaluation Design on Catcher |
| May 21, 2012 – Premier Oil reported that concept engineering and evaluation by the JV partners of the Catcher development continues to progress. It is expected that an agreement on the conceptual design of the development will be reached in the third quarter. The operator continues to target a final investment decision around year-end and first oil in 2015. |
| Project Details: Catcher |
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| Total Confirms Well Intervention at Elgin Complex |
 May 21, 2012 – Total has confirmed the success of the G4 well intervention at the Elgin complex. To regain control of the well, heavy mud was pumped into the G4 well from the West Phoenix (UDW semisub). The leak was stopped, stated the company. Following the success of the well intervention, the next phase will be to re-man the Elgin complex and restart the Rowan Viking (430′ ILC) drilling rig in order to set cement plugs in the G4 well. This phase, aiming at completing the plugging and permanent abandonment procedure of the G4 well, will take several weeks. Once the first cement plug is set in the G4 well by the Rowan Viking, the drilling of the ongoing relief well with the Sedco 714 (mid-water semisub) will be stopped. In consultation with the appropriate authorities, it has been decided that drilling a second relief well by the Rowan Gorilla V (400′ ILC) jackup is no longer necessary and has therefore been cancelled. |
| Project Details: Elgin/Franklin |
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| E.ON to Bring Huntington Online by Year-End |
 May 21, 2012 – E.ON reported that progress has been made offshore on the Huntington field in the UK sector of the North Sea. The production wells drilled to date have exceeded expectations and development drilling is expected to be completed in July. The infill pipeline is now being laid and a two month installation FPSO window, commencing on September 1, has been secured. Previously announced delays to the upgrade of the FPSO have been addressed by increasing the manpower in the yard. The operator continues to forecast fourth quarter for first oil with an expected plateau production rate of 25,000 bopd. |
| Project Details: Huntington |
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| N. America – US GOM |
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| Anadarko Fails to Hit Pay in Spartacus |
| May 24, 2012 – Anadarko has failed to hit commercial pay in the Spartacus oil and gas prospect in the Gulf of Mexico. The well was targeting subsalt layers in the vicinity of Anadarko’s Lucius project, which is currently under development. |
| Project Details: Spartacus |
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| Shell Begins Development Drilling at Cardamom |
 May 22, 2012 – Shell has begun development drilling at its Cardamom field in Garden Banks Block 427 using the Noble Jim Thompson (DW semisub). The rig will drill two wells, with each well taking about 90 days. Both wells will be tied-back to the Auger TLP. Shell’s DOCD for Cardamom includes drilling four development wells and permits for all wells have been approved. |
| Project Details: Auger |
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| Repsol to Drill Leon Prospect in 2012 |
| May 22, 2012 – Repsol reported it has received a drilling permit for its Leon prospect in Keathley Canyon Block 686 in the Gulf of Mexico. Drilling is scheduled to take 140 days. It is reported that the Noble Jim Day (UDW semisub) will drill the well. Leon is a subsalt prospect with a proposed total depth of just over 31,500 feet (9,601 meters) and is located in approximately 6,200 feet (1,890 meters) of water. |
| Project Details: Leon |
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Mb50's "Liquid Mud" Rant 