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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Aker Bp News

04 Dec 2025

CO2 Logistics Hub Under Development at Stockholm Norvik Port

Source: Höegh Evi

Höegh Evi and Aker BP are working with Ports of Stockholm to establish a COâ‚‚ logistics hub that will enable an efficient and sustainable transport chain for carbon dioxide from industrial emitters in eastern Sweden.The collaboration began in May 2025 and is a continuation of the NICE project (Norvik Infrastructure CCS East Sweden), which previously conducted a feasibility study. The continued work focuses on a detailed design of the logistics node Stockholm Norvik Port. The goal is to enable investment decisions across the value chain.

05 Dec 2025

Oil Firms in Norway to Drill 18% Less Exploration Wells by 2026, Survey Finds

© donvictori0 / Adobe Stock

A survey on Thursday showed that oil firms in Norway are planning to drill 18% less exploration wells next, as they focus on existing fields. This could undermine the government's aim of maintaining production from Europe's biggest petroleum producer.Offshore Norway's survey of its members shows that drilling and investment will decline next year.The survey revealed that oil companies on the Norwegian continental Shelf, such as Equinor Aker BP Vaar Energi, intend to drill 37 exploration wells by 2026.

09 Sep 2025

Green Party Norway Pushes Oil Phaseout

© Green Party Norway/Miljøpartiet De Grønne

In Norway, made rich by oil and gas, the idea of shutting fields sends chills, but that is exactly what the small Green Party is pushing as a global switch away from fossil fuels looms.And it's a demand with greater meaning after Monday's election, with the ruling Labour Party needing the support of the Greens - who more than doubled the seats they hold to seven - to safeguard a two-seat majority secured by left-leaning parties."We will definitely prioritise putting the climate issue at the forefront…

24 Jun 2025

Aker BP Installs New Jacket at Valhall Field in Southern North Sea (Video)

(Credit: Screenshot/Video by Aker BP)

Norwegian oil and gas company Aker BP has completed the installation of a jacket for a new production platform at the Valhall field in the Southern North Sea.The Valhall production and wellhead platform (PWP) jacket has been installed with the support from Allseas' Pioneering Spirit and Heerema Marine Contractors' Sleipnir, two of the world’s largest offshore vessels, Aker BP informed on social media.The installation followed the removal of an old production and compression platform (PCP).“This marks the end of an era and the beginning of 40 more years of production at Valhall.

05 Jun 2025

Höegh Evi, Aker BP Secure DNV Approval for Next-Gen CO2 Carrier

(Credit: Höegh Evi)

Höegh Evi and Aker BP have secured an Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV for a next-generation liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier.The vessel, developed in Norway by Höegh Evi, Aker BP and Moss Maritime, is designed to transport captured CO2 safely and cost-efficiently from European industrial emitters to offshore sequestration sites on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).DNV’s Approval in Principle includes a comprehensive assessment of the vessel’s design, including its onboard CO2 conditioning module.

21 May 2025

Wage Talks With Norway's Oil Drilling Unions Break Down, Increasing Risk of Strike

© Norwegian Shipowners' Association

Wage talks involving some 7,500 oil drilling workers in Norway broke down on Wednesday, employers and three labour unions said, raising the risk of strike action later this year that could disrupt exploration.The talks between the Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA) and the Safe, Styrke and DSO labour unions will resume at a later unknown date with a state-appointed mediator."Unfortunately it was not possible to reach an agreement," NSA lead negotiator Geir Sjoeberg said in a statement.Under Norway's tightly regulated collective bargaining system…

08 May 2025

Newbuild USV Challenger Getting Ready for Remote-Controlled Subsea Work

Challenger USV (Credit: DeepOcean)

Ocean services provider DeepOcean, with its joint venture partners Solstad Offshore and Østensjø Rederi, has taken delivery of a newbuild uncrewed surface vessel (USV), which will be used for subsea survey, inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) work across offshore energy industries.The vessel - named USV Challenger - will shortly arrive at DeepOcean’s subsea base at Killingøy in Norway, where it will undergo trials of its launch and recovery system (LARS) for the onboard ROV.The USV Challenger is 24 meters long and 7.5 meters wide.

13 Oct 2024

Esgian Week 41 Report: Operators in Norway Preparing for Drilling

© freddytb Foto / Adobe Stock

Esgian highlights that operators in Norway are preparing new wells for Odfjell Drilling, COSL and Saipem semisubs in its Week 41 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsShelf Drilling has secured new contracts for its 350-ft jackups Shelf Drilling Achiever and Adriatic I offshore Nigeria.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) has received an application from Aker BP for permission under the Pollution Act to drill the delineation well 25/1-14 Omega Alfa in the North Sea…

06 Oct 2024

Esgian Week 40 Report: TotalEnergies Sanctions New Development

Source: TotalEnergies

Esgian highlights news from TotalEnergies in its Week 40 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryDrilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has given Aker BP consent to use the 492-ft jackup Noble Invincible for production drilling on the Tambar Øst (East) field offshore Norway.TotalEnergies will resume exploration drilling in the Orange Basin offshore Namibia in the fourth quarter of 2024 with the Tamboti prospect, located in Block 2913B north of the company’s Venus discovery.Aker BP has proven gas in appraisal well 6507/2-7 S in the Norwegian Sea…

22 Sep 2024

Esgian Week 38 Report: Contracting has Slowed

© Lichtwolke99 / Adobe Stock

Esgian has no rig contracts to announced but provides an update on rig moves and drilling operations in the US Gulf of Mexico, Canada, Morocco and Norway in its Week 38 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryDrilling Activity and DiscoveriesExxonMobil has abandoned the Persephone C-54 well on EL 1169 in the Orphan Basin offshore Newfoundland, Canada.Seadrill’s 12,000-ft drillship West Neptune has resumed drilling operations on LLOG’s Who Dat South exploration well in the US Gulf of Mexico…

15 Sep 2024

Esgian Week 37 Report: New Contracts for Floating Rigs

© Andrei / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on new contract awards for floating rigs in its Week 37 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsTransocean Ltd. has secured a 365-day contract for the 12,000-ft drillship Deepwater Atlas with bp in the US GOM.Norwegian operator Aker BP has extended the contract for Saipem’s 10,000-ft semisub Scarabeo 8 in Norway.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesEquinor has found hydrocarbons at the Sitka C-02 exploration well in the Flemish Pass area offshore Newfoundland & Labrador…

18 Aug 2024

Esgian Week 33 Report: New Contracts in North Sea, Nigeria

© Photocreo Bednarek / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on new jack-up contracts in the North Sea and Nigeria in its Week 33 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsBorr Drilling 400-ft jackup Prospector 1 has secured a contract extension with ONE-Dyas for work offshore the UK and the Netherlands, scheduled to run from February to April 2025.Shelf Drilling 300-ft jackup Harvey H. Ward has received a notice of suspension from Saudi Aramco for up to one year.Shelf Drilling 350-ft jackup Shelf Drilling…

21 Jul 2024

Esgian Week 29 Report: New Drilling Plans in Guyana and Norway

© bomboman / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on new drilling plans in Guyana and Norway in its Week 29 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsADES has secured a 10-year contract extension for 250-ft jackup Admarine 657 offshore Saudi Arabia, commencing immediately upon the expiration of its current contract term with Saudi Aramco in the third quarter of 2024.Market sources indicate that Arabian Drilling 250-ft jackup ArabDrill 80 has secured a one-year extension with Al Khafji.Diamond Offshore has secured a contract with Beacon Offshore Energy subsidiary BOE Exploration & Production LLC for 12…

07 Jul 2024

Esgian Week 27 Report: A Lull in Contracting

© Alexandre / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on the current lull in contracting in its Week 27 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsAban Offshore-owned 250-ft jackup Aban II has received a letter of award (LOA) from Oil India for an offshore work program in Andhra Pradesh, India.Shelf Drilling North Sea has secured a new 17-month contract for the 400-ft Shelf Drilling Winner (previously known as Noble Sam Turner) jackup rig with TotalEnergies EP Denmark.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe…

30 Jun 2024

Esgian Week 26 Report: Drilling Activity is High

© bomboman / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on drilling activity in its Week 26 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsVentura Offshore has been granted exclusive marketing rights from Hanwha Drilling LLC for the newbuild 12,000-ft 7th generation drillship, Tidal Action, for an ongoing tender process in Brazil.Transocean has announced a 365-day contract extension for the 12,000-ft drillship Deepwater Asgard with an independent operator in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.Northern Ocean Ltd.-owned 7…

23 Jun 2024

Esgian Week 25 Report: Mixed Results in Exploration Drilling

Source: Norwegian Offshore Directorate

Esgian provides an update on exploration drilling in its Week 25 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryDrilling Activity and DiscoveriesOslo-listed BlueNord announced on Monday the start-up of drilling operations on the Harald East Middle Jurassic well (HEMJ) in the Danish North Sea.Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) encountered non-commercial hydrocarbons at the Orange #1 exploration well on Mississippi Canyon Block 216 in the US GOM and the well has been plugged and abandoned.

09 Jun 2024

Esgian Week 23 Report: Semisub Action in Norway, Australia

© bomboman / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on semisub activities in Norway and Australia in its Week 23 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsTransocean has announced contract fixtures for three harsh environment (HE) semisubmersibles. Together, the fixtures represent approximately $161 million in firm contract backlog.Shelf Drilling has secured a 15-month award for the 357-ft jackup Shelf Drilling Tenacious for drilling operations offshore West Africa.Murphy Oil Corporation has exercised an option to extend the contract for the 12…

02 Jun 2024

Esgian Week 22 Report: A Shrinking Pool of Vintage Semisubs

© Arild / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on rig sales and the shrinking pool of vintage semisubs in its Week 22 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsNoble Corporation has secured a new well intervention contract with Harbour Energy in UK waters of the North Sea for the 350-ft jackup Noble Resilient.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe recently drilled offshore production well at the Kupe oil and gas field in New Zealand is underperforming despite a recent wireline well intervention.BW…

26 May 2024

Esgian Week 21 Report: Tender Opportunities Emerging in Africa

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Esgian provides an update on new commitments confirmed for Odfjell Drilling and Borr Drilling rigs and new tender opportunities emerging in Africa in its Week 21 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsEquinor has exercised an option to extend the use of Odfjell Drilling’s 10,000-ft Deepsea Aberdeen for a batch of eight wells on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. With this, Odfjell Drilling’s owned fleet of four semisubs has a firm backlog until at least mid-2026.Borr Drilling has confirmed new work for its 400-ft jackup Prospector 1 in the UK and the Netherlands…

22 May 2024

At Least Two Companies Seek Norway Seabed Mining Permits

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Two companies said on Wednesday they are seeking offshore seabed acreage on the Norwegian continental shelf where they hope to explore for minerals, in what could be the start of a controversial new mining industry.The process puts Norway on track to become the first country to start commercial production from its continental shelf of metals useful in the transition from from oil and gas, such as copper, cobalt and zinc, as well as rare earth elements (REE).Nominations for acreage…

19 May 2024

Esgian Week 20 Report: Update on Saudi Suspensions

© namning / Adobe Stock

Esgian provides an update on Saudi suspensions in its Week 20 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsDrilling contractor Arabian Drilling confirmed that the suspension of three contracts for its jackups with Saudi Aramco have yet to be finalised but are expected to take effect towards the end of the third quarter of 2024. CEO Ghassan Mirdad stated that the company is actively exploring opportunities to redeploy these rigs with other clients. Arabian Drilling announced…

12 May 2024

Esgian Week 19 Report: New Offshore Acreage Offered

© Alexandre / Adobe Stock

Esgian reports another busy week filled with a variety of updates, including new offshore acreage offered in the UK, Norway and Nigeria, in its Week 19 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsADES Holding Company has received a direct award of a contract from Suez Oil Company (SUCO) in Egypt. The SUCO award in Egypt’s Gulf of Suez is for a firm 21-month term expected to start in the coming weeks.Noble 492-ft jackup Noble Innovator has been awarded a one-well extension with bp in UK waters at a dayrate of $145…

01 Apr 2024

Esgian Week 13 Report: Demand Shifts

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

Esgian reports shifts in demand in its Week 13 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report overview:ContractsADES has received a Letter of Intent (LOI) from PTTEP Energy Development Company Limited for an 18-month jackup drilling contract in the Gulf of Thailand. Operations are expected to begin in the second half of 2024, with an unspecified jackup.Drilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has granted Aker BP a drilling permit for an exploration well in…