Gas Discovery

Tanzania Offers Six Oil Blocks for Exploration

Tanzania has invited energy explorers to bid for six blocks in the east African nation that is fast becoming a new frontier in the hunt for oil and gas. According to a statement by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation seen by Reuters, the six blocks are all inland and stretch from the southeast of the country to the northwest. Bidders have until December 3 to submit their documents. Tanzania has at least 14 companies exploring at sites both on and offshore, and it has so far found three areas with natural gas deposits. Its last licensing round was in 2004. Prospectors are studying east Africa afresh as insecurity in other parts of the continent and increasing energy nationalism elsewhere push them to seek new sources. Gas discoveries in Tanzania, and oil discoveries on the border between Uganda and Congo has peaked interest in the region, which had been largely overlooked. Among the companies exploring in Tanzania are Dutch group Shell International (RDSa.L), France's Maurel and Prom (MAUP.PA), Petrobras of Brazil (PETR4.SA) (PBR.N) and Ras al-Khaimah Gas Commission of United Arab Emirates. [Source: Reuters]

Deepwater Gas Discovery

Gas has been found by StatoilHydro in the Asterix prospect, which lies in 1,360 metres of water 345 kilometres west of Sandnessjøen in the Norwegian Sea. Preliminary estimates put the proven recoverable volume, which is located 80 kilometres west of the Luva gas discovery, at about 16 billion cubic metres (100 million barrels of oil equivalent). “This represents one of the bigger discoveries off Norway in recent years, and we’re very pleased with the result

Oil, Gas Industry Push Deeper

The oil and gas expanded the offshore drilling frontier in the Gulf of Mexico. Already one of the most explored basins in the world, the Gulf of Mexico’s deepest hydrocarbon deposits will be auctioned off later this year, the result of political maneuvering in the waning moments of the last Congress. This new area will attract interest from companies with deep pockets and lots of patience, according to industry experts.

Cygnus Begins Jacket Fabrication

The ceremonial first cut of steel for the construction of the jackets on the Cygnus gas field project was celebrated today by operator GDF SUEZ E&P U.K. and partners Centrica Energy and Bayerngas at Burntisland Fabrication’s (BiFab) Methil yard in Fife, Scotland. This latest project milestone involves BiFab’s manufacturing facilities at Methil, Burntisland and Arnish and is expected to create 100 new jobs at Methil and 15 apprentice positions will be created at Methil and

Santos Strikes Oil

According to reports, the Australian oil exploration company Santos announced an oil and gas discovery at the Dua-4X exploration well currently being drilled in exploration Block 12E, offshore of Vietnam. Initial tests at the Dua-4X and Dua-4X ST1 wells, operated by Premier Oil, discovered oil and another well is to be drilled to evaluate reserves in the southern part of the field, said a Santos report. Santos have agreed in April this year to take a 37

Drillship Contracts Worth US$4-billion Awarded to Sembcorp

Sembcorp Marine secures US$ 4.032 Billion drillship contracts from Sete Brasil. Sembcorp Marine Ltd, through Jurong Offshore Pte Ltd’s wholly-owned subsidiarieshas secured contracts from Sete Brasil Participacǒes S.A. (Sete Brasil), for the design and construction of five drillships based on Jurong Shipyard’s proprietary Jurong Espadon drillship design. In addition to the above, Sembcorp Marine had earlier in the year announced that its wholly-owned Brazilian shipyard Estaleiro

Global Drilling Expected To Bounce Back In 2000

World drilling activity for oil and gas fell 24 percent in 1999 from 1998, but levels should bounce back in 2000, IHS Energy Group said. "In 2000, I expect levels to reach at least those of 1998," said Ian Cross, Asia director for IHS, who produced an IHS report on world drilling activity in 1999. "Some areas in 2000 will be slow to catch up. I think the Far East will be one of them. There is less money going into this region," he said.

CNOOC Announces Discovery

CNOOC Limited announced that it has achieved a new discovery, Luda (LD) 27-1, in Bohai Bay. Discovery well LD 27-1-1 is an independent wildcat spudded this July. The well was drilled in 16 meters of water to a total depth of 2772 meters. LD 27-1-1 encountered 34 meters of oil pay in 7 pay zones. The well was tested to flow 179 barrels of oil per day from three intervals 1170-1180, 1261-1267, 2691-2696 metres during drill stem tests.

Significant Gas and Condensate Discovery in the North Sea

Statoil has made a significant gas and condensate discovery in the King Lear prospect in the southern part of the Norwegian North Sea along with its partner Total E&P Norge. Exploration well 2/4-21 drilled by the jack-up rig Maersk Gallant in production licences 146 and 333, has proven a 48-metre gas/condensate column in the main bore 2/4-21 and an additional 70-metre gas/condensate column in the side-track 2/4-21A

BP Finds Major Gas Field

According to a Bloomberg report, BP Plc discovered a gas deposit in the Caspian Sea that may double production from the largest natural gas development in Azerbaijan. BP shares rose 2.8 percent, the most in a month, in London trading after the company announcement. With the latest discovery, the field may be able to pump enough gas to supply Belgium and Luxembourg together. BP and partners including StatoilHydro ASA plan to spend $4