Oil And Gas Conference News

S.Africa wants 30 wells drilled in next 10 years; Total woes a setback to S.Africa exploration drive. French energy major Total has halted oil exploration off the southern coast of Africa due to mechanical problems with a rig, meaning it will not be able to resume searching in the area before 2016, a company official said on Tuesday. The news is a huge setback to South Africa's plans to have 30 exploration wells drilled in the next 10 years as the continent's most advanced economy strives to reduce its heavy reliance on imported oil. "Offshore repair was not possible," Guy Maurice, the company's senior vice-president for exploration and production in Africa, told delegates at an Africa oil and gas conference organised by Global Pacific & Partners.

HB Rentals, a global accommodation specialist to the oil and gas industry, has launched an innovative new 18ft four-bed accommodation module to meet client demand for a smaller, lighter accommodation module supporting the Middle East offshore market. A global supplier of modular accommodation systems designed for living and working at remote project sites unveiled its new 18ft module on the first day of ADIPEC, the largest regional oil and gas conference in the Gulf region. HB Rentals designed, developed and manufactured the new module at its Aberdeen, U.K. manufacturing facility in response to growing customer demand. Leveraging in-house engineering capabilities…

Oil service company Danish Welltec signed an agreement to set up a factory in Esbjerg. The factory will enable Welltec to increase production and ensure the quality of the company’s newest and most advanced products, which are exported globally. Mayor Johnny Søtrup looks forward to welcoming the company in the EnergyMetropolis. “Together with Esbjerg Business Development Center I have been in dialogue with Welltec since the spring. A delegation from Esbjerg was even at the opening of Welltec’s new U.S.

Australia must work harder to build local oil and gas talent, according to Industry Snapshot Poll. Delegates at the 2012 Australasian Oil and Gas Conference have warned that Australia needs to do more to grow its own oil and gas talent, according to a poll conducted by GL Noble Denton. Oil and gas professionals have called for Australia to do more to build local industry talent, as the country struggles with an increasing shortage of skilled professionals. According to a poll conducted yesterday at the Australasian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition (AOG) in Perth, 68% of industry professionals think that Australia invest more in developing a local skills base, while 32% thought that the country is doing enough to increase the pool of local professionals.

Oil and gas professionals tip Australia to become world’s largest gas exporter by 2030. Delegates at the 2012 Australasian Oil and Gas Conference forecast huge growth in Australia’s role in the energy markets, tipping the country to become the largest gas exporter by 2030, according to a poll conducted by GL Noble Denton. Australasian Oil and Gas Conference, Perth – 23 February 2012: Oil and gas industry professionals are confident in Australia’s ability to become the world’s…

Schlumberger announced at the Offshore Europe 2011 Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition the release of the FORTRESS isolation valve. The FORTRESS valve is designed to simplify the transition from upper completion to production without the need for intervention. “The FORTRESS isolation valve was designed based on field-proven experience and extensive testing related to debris accumulation,” said Mike Garding, president, Schlumberger Completions. “The new valve serves as a bidirectional barrier valve that exceeds ISO 28781 standards to the point of providing a bubble-tight barrier. This barrier enables increased safety, especially in applications such as deepwater where high differential pressure is required.

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN) today announced that Ricardo H. Rosa, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the company, will address attendees at the UBS Global Oil and Gas Conference in Austin, TX. Mr. Rosa is scheduled to present at 8:05 a.m., CT, on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. A live broadcast of the presentation and a replay will be publicly accessible through the company's website at www.deepwater.com. Go to the "Investor Relations" link and select "News & Events…

The BP-led Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) said on Wednesday it expected the Azeri government to give a green light in August for the next phase of its Caspian oil production project. AIOC's president David Woodward told an oil and gas conference in the Azeri capital Baku the next phase aims to boost production to 350,000 barrels per day in 2005 from current levels of 100,000-130,000 bpd. The project envisages bringing the Azeri field onstream in early 2005, adding to volumes from the Chirag field, which has been in production since 1997. The cost of the expansion plans, called Phase One, is put at $3.3-3.4 billion, Woodward said.