Sources: Exxon will sell its older Permian assets for $1 billion to Hilcorp
Four sources with knowledge of the matter said that Exxon Mobil Corp, the top U.S. oil company, has agreed to sell its conventional oil drilling assets located in the Permian basins of Texas and New Mexico for a price around $1 billion to Hilcorp Energy. This deal is part of a growing trend among U.S. oil companies to sell off older properties after a wave of record-breaking acquisitions. Hilcorp, a private operator, has been one of the most active buyers.
Shell and Equinor face off against UK North Sea oil, gas projects
Shell and Equinor urged on Tuesday an Scottish court to support Britain's approval of the development two vast North Sea gas and oil fields as environmental activists attempted to block these projects. Shell is fighting Greenpeace's legal challenge at the Court of Session of Edinburgh regarding Britain's approval of the Jackdaw Gas Field in 2022. Equinor, a Norwegian oil company, and Ithaca Energy…
Prices of oil fall as Hurricane Rafael is expected to weaken
The oil prices dropped slightly on Friday, as the market continued to assess how Donald Trump's policy might impact supplies. Brent crude oil futures dropped 26 cents or 0.3% to $75.37 a barrel at 0209 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI), gained 35 cents, or 0.5%, to $72.01. After a nearly 1% increase on Thursday, benchmarks dropped. Brent is expected to increase by 3.1% this week while WTI will rise 4.1%. The U.S.
QatarEnergy acquires 50% of TotalEnergies' solar project in Iraq
QatarEnergy - one of the top suppliers of LNG in the world - announced on Monday that it has agreed to purchase a 50% share in TotalEnergies’ 1,25 Gigawatt solar power project in Iraq. QatarEnergy, in a press release, said that the French energy giant would retain the remaining 50% of the project. The project is part of Iraq’s $27 billion Gas Growth Integrated Project. The GGIP initiative aims at improving Iraq's electric supply.
Italy's largest insurance company expands its oil and gas exclusion list
Generali, an Italian insurer, will not provide new insurance to companies that are involved in the transportation, processing, and distribution of oil and gas if their energy transition plans are inadequate, according to a statement posted on its website. Generali has announced that it will not provide insurance policies to cover risks associated with "midstream" or "downstream" oil-and-gas projects…
Sinopec reports east China's shale field pumps 1,600 tons of oil per day
Sinopec, the state oil group, announced on Wednesday that it is progressing with the development of shale oils at its Jiyang pilot project in east China. The company now pumps 1,600 tons per day, up from just 100 tons in 2020. Sinopec, at this rate, is on course to meet a 2022 target of producing 500,000 tons per year by 2025 in Jiyang. Jiyang is located mainly in Shandong Province and covers 7,300 square kilometers (1.8 million acres).
Norway court rejects environmental order against oil and gas field
The Norwegian Court of Appeal ruled on Monday in favor of the Government in an appeal brought by environmentalists who wanted to stop the development of three gas and oil fields. Greenpeace, among others, sued the Norwegian Government to stop the development of new oil and natural gas resources. This is the latest dispute related to climate change. In January, a lower court found that Norway's Energy Ministry failed to assess fully the climate impact of future oil and gas use in the fields…
Nigeria's Belemaoil resumes oil lease 55 operations after a three-year hiatus
The Nigerian independent producer Belemaoil Producing announced on Monday that it has resumed its operations at Oil Mining Lease 55, after a three year shutdown due to theft-related damage. Belemaoil purchased OML 55 from Chevron Corporation in February 2015, which is located in an area of swampy to shallow waters, about 40km west of Bonny's oil export terminal. Belemaoil's spokesperson stated that…
Azerbaijan's oil production for 9 months down 4.8%, says ministry
Azerbaijan’s oil production fell by 4.8% in the first nine-month period of 2024 to 21.6 millions metric tonnes, down from 22.7million metric tons one year ago, said Energy Minister Parviz Shabazov on Monday. He didn't explain the cause of the decline. Production of oil in Azerbaijan has been declining for several years as the output at Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli complex of offshore oilfields, operated by BP, has passed its peak.
Petrobras' focus remains Brazil despite Africa plans, director says
Petrobras, the state-owned oil company in Brazil, has its main focus on its own country. Its director of exploration, production, said this Thursday. He added that Brazil remained a top priority, even though it plans to expand into Africa. Petrobras, which is looking to replenish its oil reserves in the future, has publicly expressed interest in expanding their oil fields in Africa. This move comes after years of the company focusing on Brazil.
As a major hurricane approaches, oil companies are evacuating their staff from the Gulf of Mexico.
On Monday, U.S. producers of oil scrambled to evacuate their staff from offshore oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico as the second major storm to hit in two weeks is predicted to ravage them. The U.S. National Hurricane Center stated that a potential Tropical Cyclone over the warm waters of the Gulf could rapidly intensify and become a major Hurricane with winds up to 115 mph (185 kph). According to the NHC, the storm, called Helene, would hit the U.S.
Hurricanes force oil companies to evacuate staff from the Gulf of Mexico
U.S. Oil Producers scrambled to evacuate their staff from Gulf of Mexico platforms on Monday as forecasters warned that the second major hurricane within two weeks would likely tear into offshore oil fields. The U.S. National Hurricane Center stated that a potential Tropical Cyclone System Nine, near the western tip of Cuba, was expected to intensify into a Hurricane on Wednesday as it moved across the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Rystad reports that US oil and gas M&A will reach a record in 2023, with the focus shifting away from Permian.
Analysts at Rystad, a consultancy, said that the appetite of U.S. producers for deals is close to last year's level, as a rise in interest in smaller oilfields offsets sluggish activity in the Permian Basin, which produces most oil. According to Rystad's analysis of the U.S. market through August, nearly $100 billion was spent on mergers and purchases (M&As) by U.S. producers. Another $46 billion worth of assets is currently up for sale.
Oil continues to fall on the back of weak China data and the prospect of increased OPEC+ supplies
The oil prices continued to fall on Monday, as OPEC+ is expected to increase production in October. Meanwhile, signs of sluggish consumption in China and America, the two biggest oil consumers in the world, have raised concerns over future growth. Brent crude futures dropped 61 cents or 0.8% to $76.32 a bar by 0450 GMT, while U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell 52 cents or 0.7% to $73.03 a bar. Last week, Brent fell by 0.3% and WTI dropped 1.7%.
Oil prices continue to fall on the prospect of increased OPEC+ supplies
The oil prices continued to fall on Monday as investors weighed higher OPEC+ output in October against a sharp decline in Libyan production amid sluggish demands in China and the U.S. Brent crude futures dropped 57 cents or 0.7% to $76.36 per barrel at 0108 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude fell 50 cents or 0.7% to $73.05 per barrel. Last week, Brent fell by 0.3% and WTI dropped 1.7%. Six…
India's ONGC wants US approval for two projects in Venezuela
Rajarshi Gupta, the managing director of ONGC Videsh Ltd in India, said that the company is looking for U.S. permission to run two projects to increase production in Venezuela. Gupta said that ONGC wants to obtain a license similar to the one granted to U.S. oil giant Chevron for operating oil fields in Venezuela. "We have requested a license to allow us to run our two projects. The approval will allow us to operate our two projects using U.S. entities and dollars.
Libyan oilfields shut down in dispute over central bank
Two field engineers reported that the Sarir oilfield had almost completely stopped production on Wednesday, due to a dispute between the government and the central bank over oil revenues. The authorities in the east of Libya, where the majority of oilfields are located, announced on Monday that production and exports will be stopped. The engineers stated that Sarir produced about 209,000 barrels of oil per day before production was reduced.
CNOOC China posts record profit in the first half of 2018 on robust output growth
CNOC, the Chinese offshore oil-and-gas major, posted a record profit for the first half of this year on Thursday. This was largely due to higher oil prices and increased output. CNOOC reported in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that net profit attributable shareholders increased 25% to 79.73 yuan (US$11.19 billion). CNOOC's oil and gas production increased by 9.3%, to 362.6 millions barrels of equivalent oil. This was due to the expansion of its reserves.
Engineers say two oilfields in south-east Libya have been shut down
Engineers at the fields said on Tuesday that two oilfields have stopped production, and another had its output reduced. This shows a plan announced on Monday to reduce production is in effect. Although the eastern-based administration announced on Monday that the oilfields would be closed, neither the internationally recognised government of Libya in Tripoli nor the National Oil Corp, which controls Libya's oil resources, have confirmed this.
Libya's east-based government will close all oilfields
The Libyan government in the east said Monday that all oilfields were closing, stopping production and exports. However, Tripoli's National Oil Corp., which controls Libya's oil resources, did not confirm this. Libyan factions have been locked in a struggle for control over the central bank and its oil revenues. Khalifa haftar, the eastern Libyan military commander, controls most of the oilfields in Benghazi.
