The Terra Nova News

Ireland's new marine research vessel due to enter service in 2022 will be named the RV Tom Crean, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue announced. "I am delighted to announce the name of Ireland's new marine research vessel is the RV Tom Crean, acknowledging the contribution of a legendary Irish Explorer," McConalogue said.Tom Crean was a renowned seaman and explorer who undertook three major groundbreaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century which sought to increase scientific knowledge and to explore unreached areas of the world…

A fire broke out on Saturday aboard Suncor Energy-operated Terra Nova FPSO offshore Canada, the offshore oil and gas regulator C-NLOPB said.Suncor told C-NLOPB that everyone onboard was accounted for and safe, and that the fire had been extinguished."There are no injuries and we await further information from Suncor as to the extent & their assessment of the cause," the C-NLOPB said Saturday. According to a report by CBC, there are 82 people aboard the FPSO.Per C-NLOPB, there is no gas or crude held onboard the FPSO which has been shut down for maintenance."The facility is not producing at this time,” CNLOPB tweeted on May 30.To remind…

Exxon Mobil Corp is selling its entire stake in the Terra Nova oil project off the eastern coast of Canada, though the world's largest publicly traded oil producer said it was committed to remaining an investor in the region. The project, located about 217 miles (350 km) off Newfoundland and Labrador, produced about 5,000 barrels of oil per day in 2016. Exxon is selling all of its 19 percent stake in the project and initial bids are due March 30, according to data and a document from Schlumberger's oil and gas asset sale business.

Teekay Offshore said it has taken delivery of Beothuk Spirit, the first of three new shuttle tankers to serve East Coast Canada, built in Korea by Samsung Heavy Industries. Heritage Class sister vessels Norse Spirit and Dorset Spirit are scheduled for delivery in the first half of November 2017 and early-2018 respectively. The three Suezmax, DP2 shuttle tankers will provide crude transportation services to the Hibernia, Terra Nova, White Rose and Hebron offshore oil fields located in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador.

Teekay Offshore will be the sole supplier and operator of shuttle tankers sfor East Coast Canada(ECC), says Teekay Corporation. On February 15, the keel laying ceremony for Teekay’s first shuttle tanker newbuilding for ECC took place at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Korea. This milestone marks the end of the block building period as well as the beginning of the next phase – to complete the newbuilding with all its systems. The shuttle tanker, the Beothuk Spirit, is expected to be delivered in August of 2017. This shuttle tanker is the first of three newbuildings to be provided for loading crude at Hibernia, Terra Nova, White Rose and Hebron offshore oil fields located in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador.

PGS in cooperation with TGS begins data acquistion on  a new 20,000 km MultiClient 2D survey over the Northeast Newfoundland Shelf. The M/V Sanco Spirit has returned to Newfoundland and Labrador once again utilizing PGS GeoStreamer® broadband technology. Data acquisition will continue into early Q4 2012 and the vessel will complete the survey in 2013. “Northeast Canada and the far North represent some of the most exciting new deepwater exploration areas in the world today and broadband GeoStreamer data provides an ideal foundation for building a better understanding of its potential…

Schmidt Ocean Institute’s flagship 'R/V Falkor' locates the wreck of historic exploration ship off the coast of Greenland. During routine functional performance testing of the mutibeam mapping echosounders on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s flagship R/V Falkor, the team aboard — including researchers from the University of New Hampshire, Ifremer, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution — discovered the S.S. Terra Nova, a whaler, sealer and polar exploration ship that sunk off the southern coast of Greenland in September, 1943, after being damaged by ice.

The Portsmouth-based UK survey ship HMS Protector was charged with putting a small team from the British Antarctic Survey ashore so they could collect geological samples on remote James Ross Island off the eastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Protector’s Commanding Officer Capt Peter Sparkes decided the safest and least risky option would be to sail through the ever-increasing pack ice and send in the Terra Nova, fast rescue craft Yelcho and the inflatable boat, Whiskey 1 to bring the scientists off.

Statoil, Chevron Canada and Repsol E&P Canada have been named the successful bidders for exploration rights on two land parcels in the Flemish Pass Basin, offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. This was the result of a land sale issued by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB). The land parcels are located west of Statoil’s Mizzen discovery in the Flemish Pass Basin. Statoil will be the operator of both licences with a 50 % interest. Chevron Canada has 40 % and Repsol E&P Canada has 10%.

Hydrocarbons were encountered while drilling the deepwater Mizzen prospect (EL 1049), located approximately 500 kilometres east-northeast of St John’s, Newfoundland. Further analysis of the well results will be undertaken to determine the potential, and an application for a Significant Discovery License (SDL) will be filed over the coming months. “The drilling operation, conducted at a water depth of 1,100 metres and during the heart of the North Atlantic winter storm season, was very challenging,” said Erik Abrahamsen, StatoilHydro Canada’s vice president of East Coast Operations.

StatoilHydro was awarded an interest in two licenses off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, in a land sale award announced 17 November 2008. The company will operate one of the licenses. "We are pleased with the results of this license round. It shows our commitment to the region and our ambition to explore the offshore areas of the east coast of Canada," said Svein Ivar Leivestad, head of offshore exploration in StatoilHydro Canada. The first license is in the Flemish Pass Basin, close to StatoilHydro's Mizzen well that will be drilled this winter. StatoilHydro is the operator with a 65% working interest, with Husky as the partner with 35%. The second license is in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin, with a 50% StatoilHydro interest. Petro-Canada is the operator.

Sarawak Slipways of Miri, Sarawak East Malaysia has delivered the 1179 gross tonne FPSO support vessel OMS Terra Nova. A pair of mains engines each generating 1838 Kw (2518 hp) at 750 RPM power the Niigata Z-Drives on the ABS-classed dynamic positioning vessel. In the focsle area a 700 hp Cummins KTA19-M4 engine powers a retractable HRP azimuthing bow thruster as an essential component of the vessel's dynamic positioning system. For electrical requirements, the 50 by 13.8-meter vessel has a pair of Cummins QSM11-powered 250 kW generator sets. Aft of the main house a double drum MacGregor Plimsoll double drum anchor handling winch is completely enclosed. A closed circuit television system allows the wheelhouse to monitor action around the winch.

ABS has been authorized to conduct inspections and issue approvals and certificates to convention ships registered in Canada. ABS acts on behalf of over 100 administrations around the world to issue statutory certificates on their behalf. Transport Canada’s Marine Safety Executive branch issued the authorization under its Delegated Statutory Inspection Programme. According to ABS Regulatory Affairs Manager Gregory Shark the class society successfully documented and demonstrated its ability to address those unique aspects of Canadian national requirements which exceed ABS Rules and the International Conventions. The authorization process called for an in-depth comparison matrix examining Transport Canada’s requirements…

Industries Co., Ltd. For many years now, contracts for ships and floating units to operate in an offshore environment have been much-prized value-added goals at Samsung. These include not only shuttle but drill ships, floating storage and offloading units (FSOs), with their derivative production types (FPSOs), crane ships, and various types of floating and fixed platforms. Some of the more interesting ships that have been created here have included a trio of deepwater drill ships for Reading & Bates capable of working in water depths down to 3000m, the 312,500 dwt FPSO Bonga for operating off Nigeria, and the Saibos FDS, a pipelayer/crane vessel with a jib capacity of 600tonnes.

Husky Energy Inc. reported net earnings of $126 million ($0.29 per share) in the first quarter of 2002, compared with $192 million ($0.42 per share) in the same quarter of 2001. Cash flow from operations in the same period was $373 million ($0.87 per share), down from $620 million ($1.46 per share) in the first quarter of 2001. Results for 2001 have been restated to reflect the adoption of the recommendations of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants on foreign currency translation. lower natural gas prices in the quarter. heavy/light crude oil differentials and a lower income tax provision. “The first quarter of 2002 was significant for Husky. announced in March,” said John C.S. Lau, President & Chief Executive Officer.

Security issues to fore at IMO safety meeting Maritime security issues are high on the agenda of IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which meets for its 75th session from May 15 to 24 , as Member States prepare for a Diplomatic Conference on Maritime Security scheduled for December 2002, at which any new or amended legislation could be adopted. Other major issues to be tackled include the adoption of proposed amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended; ongoing work on the safety of bulk carrier ships and large passenger vessels; implementation of the revised STCW Convention; and the adoption of new and amended ships routeing measures.

Husky Energy Inc. announced that it is proceeding with its East Coast exploration drilling program. Husky plans to drill an exploration well in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, located 217 miles east of Newfoundland and Labrador, on the Trepassey Exploration License (EL 1044). Husky holds a 100 per cent working interest in the license. The Trepassey exploration well is part of Husky's East Coast exploration strategy to identify new opportunities offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. The exploration well will test the oil potential of a large structure approximately 6 miles south of the White Rose oilfield. The company holds six additional licenses in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin and anticipates drilling a second well in late 2002 or in 2003. "The East Coast is a core growth area for Husky.

Having added a unique multi-purpose offshore installations vessel and a powerful floating crane to its fleet, the Smit International Group is increasingly busy on installation heavy lift and heavy transport projects associated with FPSOs. Smit Pioneer, formerly a LASH carrier, was acquired and converted by Smit in 1999. The vessel represents a new concept for multi-purpose offshore installation tasks. This large, dock-type vessel is designed and equipped to remain on station for extended periods, having an unusually high degree of self-sufficiency. The multi-purpose vessel's primary roles include: installation of moorings, diverless tie-ins, well servicing, flexlay, manifold and riser installation, ROV support and long haul cablelay.

Husky Energy Inc. Norsk Hydro Canada Oil & Gas say they have found new energy deposits near the Terra Nova oilfield off the East Coast. Calgary-based Husky and Norwegian-owned Norsk Hydro said late Tuesday that offshore drilling in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador had found hydrocarbons near Terra Nova, Canada's second major offshore field after Hibernia. The companies said the West Bonne Bay F-12 well is about 320 kilometres southeast of St. John's. Under a farm-in agreement with Norsk Hydro, Husky drilled the well to a depth of 4,666 metres and also drilled a sidetrack well to determine the size of the oil reservoir. Both wells showed energy deposits in the Upper Hibernia formation, the companies said.

Husky Energy Inc. of 2005. equivalent per day in the third quarter of 2005. barrels per day in the third quarter of 2005. day in the third quarter of 2005. Pool. Government's Innovative Energy Technologies Program. Lake, Alberta, was completed on-schedule and under its $500 million budget. November 2006. production of more than 30,000 barrels per day. work targeted to be complete by the third quarter of 2007. continues to evaluate alternatives for the downstream portion of the project. Projects. evaluated. During the third quarter, Husky acquired 46,080 acres of oil sands leases through Alberta land auctions, which added to our holdings in the Saleski area. averaged 104,700 barrels per day, with 75,900 barrels per day net to Husky.

In mid-August, Chevron Canada will drill the first exploratory well in the Orphan Basin. According to industry experts, the exploration of the Orphan Basin could mean the beginning of a new and potentially lucrative phase of Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil industry. The basin is in an area that has not been explored before, where the weather is harsh and the water is deep. However, the potential is massive — the Orphan Basin could hold more oil than the Jeanne D'Arc Basin on the Grand Banks, which is home to the Hibernia field, the Terra Nova field, as well as the White Rose and Hebron projects. However, some caution that it's too soon to know exactly what the Orphan Basin may hold.

Petro-Canada reported a 37 percent gain in second-quarter profit on July 27 but cut production forecasts due partly to an outage at its Terra Nova offshore oil field. The company said net earnings for the quarter were $418m, or $0.82 a share, up from a year-earlier $305m, or $0.58 a share. Petro-Canada's net profit includes a $112m future income tax recovery because of lower federal and provincial corporate income tax rates in Canada and a $62m current income tax charge due to retroactive tax legislation in Quebec. Second-quarter earnings from continuing operations adjusted for one-time items were $419m, or $0.83 per share, down 5.4 percent from $443m, or $0.84 per share, in the year-ago quarter.

Husky Energy Inc. is set to launch a major new exploration effort offshore of Newfoundland, with the aim of finding oil reserves separate from its existing projects, according to a report on www.theglobeandmail.com. The company, with partner and operator Norsk Hydro ASA, are planning to begin drilling by the end of the month in the West Bonne Bay region of the Jeanne D'Arc Basin, just to the northeast of the Terra Nova project. Details are still being finalized, but the two partners have a rig contracted -- and plan to explore for 60 days. That exploration will begin as soon as Husky wraps up drilling near its White Rose project, an effort the company said yesterday will add up to 90 million barrels -- two years of production -- to that project. (Source: www.theglobeandmail.com)