Tabasco News

Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC has delivered a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) to SEMAR (Secretaria de Marina) at the Port of Veracruz in Mexico. The Bahia San Carlos dredger, of the n Easydredge 2700 type, was built from stock at the Krimpen aan de IJssel and Kinderdijk shipyards in the Netherlands. Being built from the stock program allowed Royal IHC to comply with SEMAR’s request for an ultra-short delivery time, the Dutch company said.Following successful sea trials in the North Sea in October…

Mexico's naval authorities on Tuesday ordered the closure of oil, cargo and passenger ports in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean ahead of Hurricane Delta, expected to sweep the Yucatan peninsula overnight.Ports shuttered to large ships included Dos Bocas in Tabasco and oil installations in Campeche.(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; editing by Drazen Jorgic)

Mexican authorities said on Sunday they had confiscated a vessel in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz and a warehouse in neighboring Tabasco along with storage tanks and trucks used by criminal groups to steal, transport and store hydrocarbons.Fuel theft has been a problem in Mexico for decades but President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has enacted a range of measures to stamp out the practice and crush corruption and organized crime.State oil company Petroleos Mexicanos said in a recent presentation that an estimated 106 billion pesos ($5.02 billion) had been saved since Lopez Obrador took office in December 2018.Various anonymous complaints about criminal groups siphoning off hydrocarbons from pipelines in the area led to the operation…

An offshore supply vessel was reportedly attacked offshore Mexico on Friday, July 24, in an incident that was described as a "violent armed boarding and robbery of personal belongings."The maritime safety intelligence company Dryad said Monday that the offshore supply vessel Natalie was boarded while conducting operations in the vicinity of the ODIN Offshore platform 12nm NE of Coatzacoalcos."It is understood that the vessel was boarded early morning within hours of darkness. A channel 16 broadcast received from the vessel stated “We would like to inform you that at this moment pirates are getting on board the ship NATALIE which is near the ODIN platform…

Italian oil major expects to invest $1.795 billion in three offshore Mexican oil fields by 2040, according to a development plan approved by Mexico's oil regulator on Tuesday.The plan covering the Amoca, Mizton and Tecoalli shallow water fields is the second one approved by the regulator, known as the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH), following a landmark 2013 energy opening that has led to more than 100 oil and gas contracts being awarded in a series of auctions.Eni sees initial crude oil production of 8…

BP announced that it has entered into agreements with ConocoPhillips that will significantly increase its holding in the Clair field, a core asset of BP’s North Sea business in the UK, while also selling its non-operating interest in the Kuparuk and satellite oilfields in Alaska. BP has entered into an agreement to purchase from ConocoPhillips a 16.5% interest in the BP-operated Clair field, west of Shetland in the UK, buying a ConocoPhillips subsidiary that will hold this interest in the field. As a result, BP will hold a 45.1% interest in Clair and ConocoPhillips will retain a 7.5% interest. Separately BP has entered into agreements…

Tropical Storm Earl moved inland early on Saturday over southeastern Mexico where torrential rains could produce deadly flash floods and mudslides, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. The storm with winds of 50 mph (80 kmh) was about 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Veracruz, Mexico as it headed west at 9 mph (15 km), the Miami-based center said in an advisory late on Friday night. The center said Earl would weaken as it moved inland throughout the day on Saturday, but could produce rainfall up to 12 inches (30 cm) and might produce 18 inches (45 cm) of rain in some areas in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Puebla, Tabasco and Campeche. The rains could result in life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, the center said.

1777 - John Paul Jones takes command of the Continental Navy sloop USS Ranger. While commanding Ranger, the ship receives the first official salute to the Stars and Stripes flag by the French fleet at Quiberon Bay. 1777 - The Continental Congress adopts the design of present U.S. flag of 13 stripes and 13 stars. 1847 - Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry conducts the second expedition against Tabasco, Mexico, also known as the Battle of Villahermosa. 1945 - USS Sea Devil (SS 400) sinks the Japanese transport Wakamiyasan Maru in the Yellow Sea. 1945 - PB4Y aircraft bomb Japanese shipping off Banjarmasin, Borneo and sink Japanese (No. 470) shuttle vessel. 1985 - Steelworker Second Class Robert D.

Due to the behavior shown by the low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico, whose career was diverted in the last hours, the Technical Analysis Group Emergency Response Plan for Hurricanes (PREH) of Pemex, recommended the suspension of the removal of offshore platforms in Campeche. On platforms remain toiling around 16 thousand workers whose activities are directly related to production. As reported in the morning, as a preventive measure, Petroleos Mexicanos further evictions of maintenance workers, support and ancillary services in the marine area. In total, 11 000 workers were evacuated from the 15,000 who had enlisted, who will return to their work when weather conditions permit.

Stanford Marine announced today from its Dubai headquarters that it has secured a three-year contract for one of its 87-meter Platform Supply Vessels (PSV), Stanford Bateleur, in Mexico. Stanford Bateleur was awarded a long term contract with Mexiship in Mexico. Before commencing her long term charter in Mexico, Stanford Bateleur will be in Dubai to undergo some project specific modifications. The Bateleur has been working on charter in Malaysia with Haliburton and in Qatar with Maersk Oil, since her delivery in early 2013.

Dubai headquartered regional offshore marine business, Stanford Marine, says it has secured a 3 year contract with Mexishi  for one of its 87m Platform Supply Vessels, 'Stanford Bateleur', in Mexico. Before commencing her long term charter in Mexico, Stanford Bateleur will be in Dubai to undergo some project specific modifications, having been working on charter in Malaysia with Haliburton and in Qatar with Maersk Oil, since her delivery in early 2013. Pemex, the end user, will operate the vessel as an “Injector Vessel” out of the port of Dos Bocas, in the state of Tabasco. The Bateleur will join her smaller sister vessel, the 58m DP1 Stanford Goshawk, which has been working out of the neighboring port of Cd. Del Carmen in Campeche for the last 12 months.

Ocean Dredging DSM Ocean inc., an Ocean sister company, will carry out a harbor dredging contract with its Mexican partner Dragados del Golfo, in Paraiso, a town located in the state of Tabasco in Mexico. The dredging of the port of Dos Bocas is a unique opportunity for Ocean and a first in Mexico. The dredging of the port of Dos Bocas will extend over a period of more than 60 days and a dozen Ocean employees will be required to carry out the work. The trailing suction hopper dredge Océan Traverse Nord will take 16-21 days to reach Mexico.

Ellicott Dredges, LLC appointed MAKISUR S.A. de C.V. as its distributor for dredge parts in Mexico. Makisur will distribute parts and provide technical and onsite support for all of Mexico’s existing and new Ellicott dredge owners. Makisur will maintain a stock of critical spare parts for the 370 Dragon and 670 Dragon model dredges and does have capacity for growth as demand increases. Ellicott has 15 years of collaboration with Makisur having placed dozens of Ellicott Dredges into the Mexican market and now has the ability to locally supply stock parts in Mexico. The Ellicott/Makisur Parts Depot is located in Tabasco, Mexico, and has the capability to ship parts to all of Mexico. makisur.com

Fugro Chance Inc. provided 3D acoustic metrology on a large 36-inch diameter spool piece, despite environmental and logistical challenges. The highly accurate metrology was performed from a platform in Enlace Litoral Tabasco, Gulf of Mexico at a water depth of 25 meters. Active lines from the platform created a noisy auditory environment and the shallow water depth provided additional challenges in the long baseline (LBL) acoustic operations. Once measurements were finalized, the spool piece was welded to the existing pipeline and then set back down on the seabed.

McDermott International, Inc. has announced  that one of its subsidiaries has received a letter of award for a turnkey contract for the PB-Litoral-A production platform for PEMEX Exploracion y Produccion in the Litoral Tabasco Tsimin-Xux fields. The value is approximately US$ 230 million and will be included in McDermott's fourth quarter 2012 backlog. “This project reaffirms our Altamira, Mexico fabrication facility as a key player for both domestic and international offshore construction projects,” said Steven W. Roll, Vice President and General Manager, Atlantic region. McDermott’s global resources support turnkey engineering, procurement, construction and installation (“EPCI”) solutions and offer Pemex the most competitive solution for the PB-Litoral-A production platform.

1777 - John Paul Jones takes command of Ranger 1777 - Continental Congress adopts design of present U.S. Flag 1847 - Commodore Matthew Perry launches amphibious river operations by Sailors and Marines on Tabasco River, Mexico 1940 - Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Naval Expansion Act to construct ships to increase Navy's tonnage by 11 % 1985 - Steelworker Second Class Robert D. Stethem, USN of Underwater Construction Team ONE was killed by terrorist hijackers of TWA Flight 847. He later received a Bronze Star for his heroism. (Source: Navy News Service)

Average crude oil prices for July were little changed from June. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) spot average for July was $30.75 per barrel compared to $30.66 in June. EIA’s Outlook is for prices to remain firm through the rest of 2003, or at least until autumn, when OECD oil inventories may rebuild above observed 5-year lows. Once inventories have been rebuilt, WTI oil prices may slide gradually to $26 per barrel during 2004, as Iraqi oil exports return to near pre-war levels. U.S.

Strong winds and choppy seas produced by a Gulf of Mexico cold front forced the closure of two of Mexico's main oil exporting ports on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. Pajaritos port, part of the Coatzacoalcos complex in eastern Veracruz state, was shuttered to oil tankers as waves crested at eight feet and winds blew at 30 to 33 miles per hour (50-55 km per hour), transportation officials said. The port of Dos Bocas, located in the southeastern state of Tabasco, was also closed but transportation officials did not provide conditions at the port. Mexico's two other ports - the Gulf port of Cayo Arcas in southeastern Campeche state and the Pacific facility of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca state - were both open on Tuesday afternoon.

Two of Mexico's chief oil export ports were closed on Tuesday, Reuters reported, because of strong winds and waves in parts of the Gulf of Mexico, port officials said. The port of Dos Bocas, located in the southeastern state of Tabasco, was shuttered as seas crested at 10 ft. and winds gusted at between nine and 12 mph, said an official at the port captain's office. The Pajaritos terminal, part of the Coatzacoalcos complex in eastern Veracruz state, was also closed as waves hit 10 ft. and winds ranged from 21 to 27 mph, said a port official. The Gulf-side port of Cayo Arcas in southeastern Campeche state and the Pacific Port of Salina Cruz were operating normally, said port officials and the Transport Ministry.

Mexico's Pajaritos oil port reopened to shipping on Tuesday because of improved weather, but high seas kept the port of Dos Bocas closed for a second straight day, said authorities. Dos Bocas, which has been shuttered on and off for the better part of a week, was still closed on Tuesday morning as waves crested at between seven and nine feet, said the Transport Ministry. The port, located in southeastern Tabasco state, reported winds were at 18 miles per hour. Pajaritos, located in the Coatzacoalcos complex in eastern Veracruz state, Cayo Arcas port in southeastern Campeche state and Salina Cruz in southern Oaxaca state were all operating normally, the Ministry added. Dos Bocas, Pajaritos and Cayo Arcas, all located on the Gulf of Mexico side, handle the bulk of the nation's oil exports.

Mexico's Pajaritos oil export terminal and Dos Bocas port, which also handles oil tankers, were both closed to shipping, the Transport Ministry said in a routine report. Pajaritos, a Gulf port located in the Coatzacoalcos complex in the southern state of Veracruz, closed at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a port official. He said weather conditions on Wednesday included winds of 19-25 mph (30-40 km per hour), and 8-foot (2.5-meter) waves. Dos Bocas, also on the Gulf of Mexico in the southeastern state of Tabasco has been closed since 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday, the port official added. Weather conditions at the port on Wednesday were waves of 10-12 ft. (3-3.5 meters), and winds of 25 mph (40 km per hour).

Two of Mexico's key oil export ports were shut down on Wednesday as tropical depression Keith whipped up winds and waves in the Gulf of Mexico, though the effects on oil production were not immediately known, authorities said. The port of Dos Bocas in southeastern Tabasco state was closed as winds blew from 21 and 27 miles per hour and seas swelled at between eight and 10 ft., said the transport ministry in a statement. Cayo Arcas in neighboring Campeche state was also closed, though the transport ministry did not provide details on port conditions.

The Mexican oil export facility at Pajaritos in eastern Veracruz state reopened to shipping traffic early on Thursday and the nation's three other oil ports were operating normally, said port officials. Pajaritos, part of the Coatzacoalcos complex, reopened at 6 a.m. (1200 GMT) as weather conditions improved, said an official at the captain's office. Winds were around 3 miles per hour (5 km per hour) and waves were between two and three feet, he said. The Gulf ports of Dos Bocas in southeastern Tabasco state and Cayo Arcas in nearby Campeche state were also open to shipping, said officials at the captain's office in each port. Salina Cruz on the Pacific coast was operating normally, said port officials.