Arctic Offshore

GSP Offshore Dips a Toe in Barents Sea

Romania's Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP) to start drilling in June, admitting it has no experience of drilling operations in the Arctic. Operations are scheduled to start at the beginning of June and will be carried out in Dolginskoye oil field, located in the Pechora Sea, in the south eastern part of the Barents Sea, the continental shelf of the Russian Federation. MODU GSP Jupiter will perform the drilling, logging, completion and testing of North-Dolginskaya № 3 well. A fleet of four offshore support vessels including two owned by GSP will assist the rig during the drilling operations scheduled in the Pechora Sea. GSP Jupiter is currently being mobilized to operate offshore Tunisia, to drill Hammamet West-3 within the Bargou Exploration Permit. “It is well known that the exploration of Arctic fields is more technically challenging than any other environment. So this project in the Pechora Sea comes as a recognition of our expertise in drilling operations and marks GSP`s debut in the Arctic offshore operations. Since 2004, our company has invested 1.35 billion USD (approx. one billion EUR) in the acquisition and modernization of its vessels and drilling rigs, including the extensive upgrade of GSP Jupiter, which is now ready to face the challenges of the harsh weather conditions, said Gabriel Valentin Comanescu, President and CEO of Grup Servicii Petroliere”

Canada Announces Arctic Offshore Drilling Rules

The National Energy Board (NEB or the Board) released filing requirements today for future applications to drill in the Canadian Arctic Offshore. The Filing Requirements, a companion document to The Past is Always Present, Review of Offshore Drilling in the Canadian Arctic, Preparing for the Future, follows several months of extensive consultation carried out across the North during the NEB’s Arctic Review. During the Arctic Review

Arctic Offshore Patrol Ship Contract for Irving Shipbuilding

Canadian Government signs $9.3-million preliminary contract for Irving to create strategy for AOPS shipbuilding project The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, welcomed the signing of a preliminary contract with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. as part of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) project being implemented under the National Shipbuilding

Oil Majors Expand Far North Exploration Projects

Rosneft and ExxonMobil agree to collaborate in the search for offshore energy in the Russian Arctic & Far East,  and Alaska. The two companies have agreed to expand their cooperation under their 2011 Strategic Cooperation Agreement to include an additional approximately 600,000 square kilometers (150 million acres) of exploration acreage in the Russian Arctic and potential participation by Rosneft (or its affiliate) in the Point Thomson project in Alaska

Lockheed Martin Seeking Atlantic Canada Companies for Shipbuilding Projects

Lockheed Martin Canada, a major supplier of systems, software and professional services to the Royal Canadian Navy, will be in Saint John, Halifax and St. John’s this week to meet with companies that could become partners and suppliers on shipbuilding projects, including the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and other future programs.  In each location, Lockheed Martin officials will provide a briefing on how companies can prepare and position themselves for shipbuilding work through

StatoilHydro Starts Test Drilling in Arctic Oil Prospect

StatoilHydro has begun a two-year drilling program in Arctic waters to determine the potential of Norway's share of one of the world's few remaining unexplored oil prospects, the Financial Times reported.It also hopes to cooperate with Russian companies such to find oil and gas further into the Arctic. StatoilHydro last month started deliveries of liquefied natural gas from an offshore field inside the Arctic circle with its Snohvit project

Arctic Holds Over 113 Bboe, Report Says

Infield Systems has published a new report on prospects for the offshore Arctic oil and gas sector through 2017. Infield has identified over 130 Bboe in discovered oil, gas, and condensate reserves throughout the offshore Arctic/sub-arctic regions. Around 114 Bboe, or 86% of the total, are gas reserves, with around 16 Bbbl of oil, according to the report.    (Source: Offshore Magazine)

Arctic Oil Exploration to Reverse Decline in Norwegian Production

An Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) poll reveals industry professionals see Arctic exploration as viable solution for Norway. The Industry Snapshot Poll was conducted at ONS by global independent technical advisor, GL Noble Denton. Senior professionals from across the industry also took part in the survey online. 74% of participants said that the development of sizeable reserves in Arctic waters offshore Norway could reverse the country’s diminishing North Sea production rates by 2030

Legislation to Protect Canada's Arctic Waters

To better protect Canadian Arctic waters from ship-source pollution, Canada's Transport Minister, John Baird, announced that Bill C-3, an Act to amend the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, came into force on August 1, 2009. The amended Act also allows Canada to exercise greater control over these waters. "The passage of this legislative amendment is welcome news. Our government has taken action to protect the fragile marine environment in the North

GlobalSantaFe Updates Rig Status

GlobalSantaFe provided a preliminary estimate for the expected start of operations for its four offshore drilling rigs damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Most of the damage to the company's four semisubmersible rigs was to their mooring systems. Three of these rigs, the GSF Arctic I, GSF Development Driller II and GSF Celtic Sea, are projected to begin normal operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico during the fourth quarter of 2005