Oil Search

Oil Search Expects LNG Project Agreement by Year End

Oil Search Ltd., Papua New Guinea's biggest oil producer, expects to reach agreements with the government and partners by the year-end allowing a decision to start designing a $10b liquefied natural gas project. The economic viability of the Exxon Mobil Corp.-led LNG project has been ``fully tested'' and talks are underway with the government on fiscal terms, Port Moresby-based Oil Search said in a presentation lodged with the Australian Stock Exchange, according to a Bloomberg report. Oil Search may own between 28 percent and 32 percent of the venture, once the state and landowners take up stakes. The group is studying tapping gas from the Hides, Angore, Juha fields and nearby areas in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea to feed a 6.3 million metric tons-a-year LNG plant, targeting the start of deliveries in 2013. Santos Ltd., AGL Energy Ltd. and Japan PNG Petroleum have stakes in the venture. Oil Search reiterated a forecast for production of between 9.5 million and 10 million barrels of oil equivalent this year, down from 10.2 million in 2006. Field and corporate costs are expected to be ``slightly'' higher in the second half than in the first, it said. Exploration spending is set to be at the upper end of the $230m to $240m range forecast in August, while spending on development will probably be ``a little lower'' than $100m, the company reportedly said

Coast Guard Ends 2 Searches in Gulf

The Coast Guard ended two searches today in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas and Louisiana coasts after thorough searches turned up no results. In the first case, the Coast Guard called off the search for a missing swimmer in San Luis Pass near Freeport, Texas. The 17-year-old Hispanic male is missing after swimming in San Luis Pass Tuesday evening. The Galveston Police Department notified the Coast Guard of the missing swimmer about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday

Baker Hughes Rig Count Down 7

The number of rigs searching for oil and natural gas in the United States fell by seven to 1,225 during the week ending May 18, according to oil services firm Baker Hughes. Last year the number of U.S. rigs was 841, Baker Hughes said. Meanwhile, the number of rigs exploring for oil and gas in Canada gained 24, compared to 182 last year. The number of rigs in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico fell by four to 160, compared to 135 a year ago.

U.S. Gas Rigs Up 28

The number of U.S. rigs searching for natural gas in the U.S. rose by 28 to 764, an all-time record high, while the number of rigs searching for oil fell by three to 210 during the week ending July 28, according to oil services firm Baker Hughes Inc. The number of rigs exploring for oil and gas in the United States rose by 25 to 975, compared with 602 active rigs in the U.S. in the year ago period. In Canada, the number of rigs searching for oil and gas rose 13 to 319

CNOOC Searches for Oil in U.S.

According to a report from the Associated Press, China's state-owned offshore oil and gas company is intensifying its search for oil in the western United States.  CNOOC Ltd. announced it will pay $570m for a one-third stake in Chesapeake Energy Corp.'s drilling project in an emerging oil field in northeast Colorado and southeast Wyoming. (Source: AP)  

US Rig Count Hits 25-Year High

Tally of oil-directed rigs shows increase In its weekly release, Houston-based oiilfield services company BHI reported a record rise in the number of rigs searching for oil and gas. The Baker Hughes North American Rotary Rig Count is a weekly census of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the United States and Canada.

Search for Missing Boater Suspended

The Coast Guard suspended its search at 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday for missing boater Jason Henderson. The search for Henderson, 30, lasted seven days and covered more than 220,000 square miles (an area larger than the state of California). The search began August 14 when Henderson failed to return from a daylong fishing trip. He was reported missing by his father-in-law, Ronald Noah, to the Hawaii Fire Department at 10 p.m.

Maritime Exercise Held in China

China's largest ever maritime search-and-rescue exercise, involving 400 people, 28 fleets, two helicopters and an aircraft, was carried out on Thursday in the waters near Dalian Port, northeast China's Liaoning Province. The exercise started when a collision between a passenger ferry and a cargo boat was reported and the National Maritime Rescue Emergency Plan was enacted immediately. The main elements of the exercise, including the rescue of 368 passengers and dozens of sailors

Petrobras May Try Cuban Oil Luck Again

Brazil's state oil giant, Petrobras, signed a letter of intent with Cuba on technological exchange as part of a strategy aimed at returning to the island in search for crude. Petrobras President Jose Eduardo Dutra said his company was studying at least one block that should be offered on a concession basis by the Cuban government.

UAE-based Lamprell Leadership Shake-up

Lamprell, provider of diversified engineering & contracting services to the onshore and offshore oil & gas industries makes sweeping Board changes. Nigel McCue is standing down as Chief Executive and as a director of the Company. Peter Whitbread, former Chief Executive who was with Lamprell from 1992 until 2009, has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive and will join the Board with immediate effect.