North Caspian News

Vryhof Anchors, a Vryhof company, has announced a number of contracts for its’ Stevshark Rex anchoring solution with Anglo-French independent operator Perenco and its Congolese subsidiary Perenco Congo SA; Maersk Drilling in Trinidad; and international EPC contactor CNGS Group. In addition, two Stevshark Rex’s will also be deployed by Jan De Nul Group, a dredging, offshore, civil and environmental contractor.The contracts confirm the Stevshark Rex - with versions ranging from three to 60 metric tons (mT) - as the new industry standard in hard soils…

Rosneft and Lukoil began the construction of prospecting and appraisal well ? 1 at Ribachya structure as part of geologic exploration of North Caspian licensed site, situated in a Russian sector of North Caspian water area. The project is operated by the Caspian Oil Company. The planned drilling depth is 1650 meters. The aim of well drilling is to explore the geologic structure and to detect oil and gas deposits, as well as to evaluate their commercial significance. The participants of the project pay special attention to strict requirements of ecological security of works at Caspian shelf and to security of sea wells drilling and exploitation adherence. In terms of the Plan on prevention and response to emergency situations at building prospecting and appraisal well ?

On May 27-29, 2014 in Astrakhan, Russia, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) held a seminar on shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas field development for experts representing RS offices in Russia and abroad. The seminar covered latest amendments to the procedural requirements of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) concerning survey procedure, survey of ships, offshore structures and subsea pipelines under construction as well as documentation control. The event took place on the eve of the new phase of the V. Filanovsky field development, RS taking an active part in this project.

A consortium developing Kazakhstan's huge Kashagan oilfield said on Monday it did not expect to produce oil in the offshore field this year due to leaking pipelines. "The current assessment, based on the results of an investigation, is that both the oil and the gas pipelines might have to be fully replaced," the consortium also said. The North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) consortium includes Eni, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell , China's CNPC, Japan's Inpex and Kazakh state-run KazMunaiGas.

Eni announces that first oil from the giant Kashagan oil field has been produced. The oilfield is located in the North Caspian Sea, approximately 80 kilometers southeast of Atyrau, in Kazakhstan. Eni holds a 16.81% stake in the consortium for the development of Kashagan and through Agip KCO is responsible for developing and start of production of the field. The other partners in the consortium, represented by the operator NCOC (North Caspian Operating Company) which operates within the North Caspian Sea Production Sharing Agreement (NCSPSA), are KazMunayGas (16.81%), ExxonMobil (16.81%), Shell (16.81%), Total (16.81%), ConocoPhillips (8.4%) and Inpex (7.56%). In the initial phase output will grow up to 180,000 barrels per day.

Shallow water offshore support services operator Acta Marine gives an update on the worldwide deployment of its specialized vessels. In Asia the Coastal Victory is engaged upon offshore support activities with a shallow draft pipe lay vessel in Korea and Taiwan. This 50TBP Multi-purpose Anchor Handling vessel is well positioned to support new maritime infrastructure projects in this growing region. In the Middle East, the Coastal Ranger and Coastal Rambler are involved in the construction of artificial energy islands.

Robert Allan Ltd. was awarded a contract for two new designs of icebreaking OSVs for use in the North Caspian Sea. The contract was awarded to the Vancouver naval architects by the Turkish-based Palmali Group of Companies, and the vessels will be built by Besiktas Shipyard of Altinova, Turkey. Upon delivery the vessels will be chartered to the Lukoil Oil Company of Astrakhan, Russia. Three vessels in total are to be built and delivered by the end of 2014. Each of the new vessel designs will be 80 meters in length and specifically designed for operation in the very shallow, ice covered waters encountered in the Caspian. The vessels will meet the rules of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

BMT ARGOSS (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has secured a long-term contract to provide an oil major with weather forecasting services for all its North Caspian Sea operations, both offshore and onshore. The scope of BMT’s work includes provision of all forecasting services including Metocean and aviation as well as all operational support, including maintenance of meteorological equipment on all of the installations. BMT’s working relationship with this oil major extends back to 2009, providing elements of the forecasting services package.

Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev & Eni CEO Paolo Scaroni consulted in Astana during the VII Kazernergy Eurasian Forum. During the meeting, described as cordial and constructive, Eni's CEO shared the developments and results of the company's ongoing activities in the country with the President, affirming Eni's positive vision of the primary importance projects that Kazakhstan presents, such as the Kashagan and Karachaganak. The President was informed of joint projects for building a shipyard in the Caspian Sea and a gas turbine power plant in West Kazakhstan region. Eni's CEO also updated President Nazarbayev on the progress of the agreement of cooperation and mutual understanding…

Keppel Kazakhstan LLP (Keppel Kazakhstan) and its consortium partner Ersai Caspian Contractor LLC, Kazakhstan (Ersai Caspian Contractor), have secured a contract from Teniz Burgylau LLP (Teniz Burgylau), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of JSC NC "KazMunayGas" (KazMunayGas) of Kazakhstan, for a KFELS B Class jackup rig worth US$242 million. Scheduled for delivery in 1Q 2015, the jackup rig will be deployed in the Caspian Sea when completed. The work scope of the rig will be shared equally among the two members of the consortium. According to the Oil and Gas Journal dated January 2010, Kazakhstan's proven oil reserves was estimated at 30 billion barrels and its natural gas reserves at 85 trillion cubic feet.

J. Ray McDermott’s Caspian subsidiary has completed installation of offshore facilities at the Yuri Korchagin field for OOO LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft (LUKOIL), a subsidiary of OAO LUKOIL Oil Company. The Yuri Korchagin field is the first of the North Caspian fields in the Russian sector of the Caspian Sea to be developed by LUKOIL and brought commercially on-stream. The field development requires a number of major offshore facilities including an ice-resistant fixed processing platform (LSP-1) and adjacent living quarters (LSP-2) joined together by a 243-foot bridge.

Aker Kvaerner has entered into an agreement which gives full ownership of Finnish RR Offshore and ends the co-operation between Aker Kvaerner and its former Russian partner ST Holdings. As part of the agreement, Aker Kvaerner sells its shares in the Astrakhan Korabel yard to ST Holding. The parties have agreed to not disclose any transaction values. RR Offshore OY is a Finnish engineering and project management company with considerable experience in Russia and the North Caspian region. From before, Aker Kvaerner owned 26 per cent of the shares in the company. Aker Kvaerner is actively positioning itself for future projects in Russia and the Caspian region.

contracts with Saipem S.p.A. development in the Kazakhstan sector of the north Caspian Sea. boats, two anchor handling tugs and an existing survey vessel. will be placed into active operations in the spring of 2006. Mr.