Lockdown Measures Tightened at Kazakhstan's Karachaganak Gas Field
Kazakhstan has tightened lockdown measures at its biggest gas condensate field Karachaganak after confirming the first case of novel coronavirus among its staff, authorities said on Monday.The chief sanitary doctor in Western Kazakhstan province where Karachaganak is located ordered an effective 7 p.m.-7 a.m. curfew at camps where Karachaganak workers reside and barred vehicles from entering and leaving the field.Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO), which runs the giant field, confirmed its first COVID-19 case on May 22.
Serica Hires WilPhoenix Offshore Rig for Rhum Well
Serica Energy has hired Awilco Drilling's WilPhoenix semi-submersible drilling rig for the intervention work on the Rhum-3 ("R3") well in the UK North Sea.The 3rd-Generation, Enhanced Pacesetter, harsh-environment, mid-water, semi-submersible drilling rig will start operations in the fourth quarter of 2020 and last approximately 70 days. The contract follows a letter of intent the two companies signed in February.The work program will involve recovering debris left in the well by the previous operator and removing an obstruction that is believed to be in place across parts of the downhole completion.
West of Shetlands Ups Offshore Production
West of Shetland production likely to overtake North Sea for Shell and BP’s UK portfolios by 2020, said a report.Over the last four years oil and gas production in the West of Shetlands has risen and with that, a growing relevance for the biggest players still active in the UK continental shelf (UKCS), says GlobalData.The company’s latest research reveals that the West of Shetland (WoS) area retains the attention of major Exploration and Production (E&P) players in the region; however infrastructure restraints could hinder future growth potential in the basin.Despite the US based E&P majors…
Santos Broadens Offshore Exploration in N.Australia
The oil and gas producer in the Asia-Pacific region Santos has struck a joint venture (JV) agreement with fellow-listed Beach Energy to partner over four exploration permits in the Bonaparte basin, offshore northern Australia.The two companies will each hold a 50% JV interest in the four permits, with Santos acting as operator.Santos’ position in the Bonaparte basin already includes an 11.5% interest in the Bayu-Undan gas-condensate field and the Darwin LNG plant, as well as a 25% interest in the Barossa field…
Yinson Tallies Layang FPSO Contract
Floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO) provider Yinson announced Thursday it has received a letter of award from JX Nippon to provide operation and maintenance services for an FPSO due to commence operations at the the Layang field offshore Malaysia by the fourth quarter of 2019.The charter contract is for a firm period of eight years, plus 10 extension period options of one year each.Yinson said the estimated aggregate value of the operation and maintenance contract, assuming the extension options are fully exercised…
New Well Testing Technology
New technology from Schlumberger delivers well testing performance data in real-time.Schlumberger has introduced well testing live performance technology at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC). The new technology, called Concert, brings real-time surface and downhole measurements, data analysis, and collaboration capabilities to well testing.In the Concert performance ecosystem, all well test data are digitally integrated via wearable technology, wireless sensors, and video cameras.
John Crane Wins North Sea Maintenance Data Contract
John Crane Asset Management Solutions has secured a contract to supply Maersk Oil with data services to support the planned maintenance strategy at one of the largest new developments in the U.K. North Sea. At the Culzean field, John Crane Asset Management Solutions will provide data build services as well as establishing a maintenance plan for all topside equipment. A Detailed Criticality Analysis and Maintenance Definition (DCAMD) strategy will be developed to cover high-criticality equipment with generic procedures being used for non-critical appliances.
Baker Hughes Clinches Contract for PNG Gas Field
Baker Hughes, now part of General Electric, has won a major contract to provide a wide range of services to develop Papua New Guinea's first offshore gas field which is sees as a new model to help producers adapt to a world of low oil prices. GE Oil and Gas completed its merger with Baker Hughes last month to become the world's second largest oilfield services company, bringing together traditional drilling and pumping gear with technology such as software, sensors and three-dimensional printing.
Ichthys LNG Output Expected to Start by Year-end
Japan's biggest oil and gas explorer Inpex Corp expects gas production from the seabed for its offshore Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to start from around the end of the year, a senior company executive said on Friday. Inpex in late April delayed the Ichthys start to the first quarter of next year, citing delays in the installation of offshore production facilities. The floating production, storage and offloading unit for the project finally set sail last month to the Ichthys gas-condensate field from Okpo…
Sparrows Group Bags 5-year Maersk Oil Contract
Sparrows Group has secured a five year contract to deliver hydraulic, lifting and rigging services for Maersk Oil’s UK floating assets. The agreement will see Sparrows support the operator in strengthening its lifting operations for the Global Producer 3 (GP3) and Gryphon FPSO’s and the new Culzean FSO. The scope encompasses hydraulic services including maintenance, repair and parts and materials procurement; as well as the supply, management and certification of all lifting gear. Additional mechanical engineering services…
Chevron Achieves First Gas from U.K. Alder Field
Chevron North Sea Limited today announced it has started production at Alder, a high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) gas condensate field in the Central North Sea. "First gas at Alder represents a significant milestone for Chevron and highlights our commitment to investing and developing resources in the U.K.,” said Greta Lydecker, managing director, Chevron Upstream Europe. “The safe and successful completion of this project was underpinned by strong collaboration between Chevron and Alder co-venturer ConocoPhillips.
Sovcomflot, Gazprom Neft Ink Lubricant Supply Deal
As part of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Sovcomflot and Gazprom Neft have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the supply of marine lubricants. The MOU document was signed by Sergey Frank, President and CEO of PAO Sovcomflot, and Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Board of Gazprom Neft. The new agreement provides for the potential expansion of the existing marine lubricants supply geography and an increase in the number of ships using these lubricants to 19 within the next two years.
BP Boosts Culzean field Stake
BP announced today it has doubled its interest in the Culzean development in the UK Central North Sea, following its acquisition of an additional 16% interest from JX Nippon. The acquisition increases BP’s interest in the development from 16% to 32%. “We are pleased to have deepened our interest in Culzean and we look forward to helping Maersk make this important central North Sea development a success,” said Mark Thomas, BP Regional President North Sea Region. The Maersk-operated Culzean field development…
Kazakhstan Files $1.6 bln Claim Against BG-Eni Venture
Kazakhstan has filed a $1.6 billion claim against a group led by BG Group Plc and Eni SpA which is developing the Karachaganak gas condensate field, Russia's Lukoil, also a consortium member, said. The move is the latest sign of tensions between global energy majors and national companies in resource-rich nations as low oil prices put more strain on state budgets which have ballooned over the past decade. The dispute relates to a formula which determines how profit from the development is split between the companies and the government…
Rosneft to buy back Purgaz
Rosneft is in talks with "Gazprom" to buy back its stake in the joint venture - the largest producer of gas, "Purgas". Experts argue that such a deal would solve the problem of "Gazprom" to taxes for the asset, and "Rosneft" would give an additional 6-7 billion cubic meters of gas, according to "Kommersant". According to the companion publication, the deal, in particular, was discussed at a meeting of the chairman Pavlenov "Gazprom" Alexey Miller, the president of "Rosneft" Igor Sechin last week. The deal is estimated at 20 billion rubles, but its value also depends on non-economic factors. Recall, Inc.
Maersk Oil Orders FSO from MODEC
Maersk Oil North Sea UK limited has contracted MODEC, Inc. to supply a floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel for the Culzean development project in the U.K. Central North Sea. The contract awards MODEC responsibility for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the FSO, while the internal turret mooring system will be designed and supplied by MODEC subsidiary SOFEC, Inc. The FSO will feature receiving capacity of 25,000 barrels of condensate per day, with storage capacity of 350,000 barrels.
Maersk wins UK Nod at North Sea Culzean Field
Maersk Oil has received approval by the UK's Oil & Gas Authority to develop the largest gas field discovered in the UK North Sea in more than a decade, the Danish oil company said on Monday. The Culzean field is expected to produce enough gas to meet five percent of total UK demand at peak production in 2020/21. Discovered in 2008, Maersk Oil and its co-venture partners, JX Nippon and BP Plc will invest around £3 billion ($4.63 billion) in the development. Maersk Oil, a unit in Denmark's shipping and oil group A.P.
Gazprom Earmarks RUB 10.8 bln for R&D
Gazprom Group continues earmarking considerable funds for financing research and development (R&D) activities. In 2014 a record-breaking amount in the whole Company history – RUB 10.82 billion – was devoted to these purposes. Gazprom is one of the leading Russian investors into innovations. More than a half of these funds were channeled to priority engineering projects. Thus, for the first time a comprehensive engineering design was prepared for developing the Kharasaveyskoye gas & condensate field located partly onshore, partly offshore. The project economic potential equals some RUB 170 billion.
Key to Chayanda’s treasures
Gazprom Geologorazvedka completed large-scale seismic survey operations at the Chayandinskoye oil, gas & condensate field in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Here the company applied the high-density wide azimuth (WAZ) 3D survey method for the first time ever. Not too long before the end of the investigations the field was visited by Far Eastern media representatives to get acquainted with the modern prospecting technologies. This photo essay is based on the pictures made by the press tour participants. The scope of geophysical exploration in the Chayanda licensed block covered 6.300 square meters.
Rosneft, BP Ink E&P, Refining Deal
Rosneft and BP today signed several agreements strengthening the long term strategic relationship between the two companies, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Rosneft and BP signed final binding agreements for Rosneft’s sale to BP of a 20 per cent share of Taas-Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha (Taas), creating a new joint venture in East Siberia. The document was signed by Rosneft Management Board Chairman Igor Sechin and President of BP Russia David Campbell. The venture will further develop the Srednebotuobinskoye oil and gas condensate field which is one of the largest fields in eastern Siberia…
