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Unocal News

19 Dec 2018

Neptune Energy Indonesia Gets New Managing Director

The oil and gas producer Neptune Energy has announced the appointment of Eko Lumadyo as Managing Director of its Indonesian business, based in Jakarta.Lumadyo will join Neptune from Mandala Energy Indonesia, where he is currently Country President and General Manager.Lumadyo has more than 30 years’ experience in upstream oil and gas exploration, development, planning, operations and commercial affairs. He started his career with Unocal as a geophysicist and progressed within the organisation from technical leadership through to Vice President of Deepwater Development.He held positions in Indonesia, Los Angeles and Texas. Subsequently he held senior roles with Black Gold Energy…

25 Mar 2015

Bibby Offshore Secures Contract with MGTC

Photo courtesy of Bibby Offshore

Bibby Offshore announced today that its Asian Division, Bibby Offshore Singapore (‘BOS’), has secured a contract with the Moattama Gas Transportation Company (“MGTC”). MGTC, a joint venture between Total (operator), Unocal, PTT-EP and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, has appointed BOS to provide ROV pipeline inspection, remedial work and associated project management on its South East Asia asset offshore Myanmar. Bibby Offshore will supply its DP2 ROV support vessel, Bibby Spring.

03 Feb 2015

Chevron Names Ourada Corporate VP and Comptroller

Chevron Corporation today named Jeanette L. Ourada as their new corporate vice president and comptroller effective April 1. Ourada succeeds Matthew J. Foehr, who will retire after 33 years with the company. Ourada, 49, will oversee corporate-wide accounting, financial reporting and analysis, and internal controls. She will also lead Finance Shared Services, the organization she has led since July 2013. Since joining Chevron as part of the Unocal acquisition in 2005, Ourada has held a series of leadership roles within the finance organization. Before assuming her current role as the general manager of Finance Shared Services, Ourada served as assistant treasurer, operating company support and intercompany financing.

12 Jan 2015

Polarcus Appoints Starr as Next CEO

Photo: Polarcus

Rod Starr will succeed Rolf Ronningen as Polarcus' next chief executive officer. Following a comprehensive selection process, Polarcus Limited’s board of directors has chosen Rod Starr to succeed Rolf Ronningen as chief executive officer. Ronningen, who informed the board of his planned retirement in 2014, will continue as CEO until Rod takes up his appointment, expected early Q1 2015. Starr joins Polarcus from TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company. He has over 30 years industry experience…

23 May 2011

Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Crowley Workers Reach 10 Million Hours

Photo courtesy Crowley Maritime Corp.

The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) has announced that its workforce has achieved a major safety milestone: 10 million hours worked without an OSHA Day Away From Work Case (DAFWC). Of those hours, Crowley contributed towards working 20 percent of them, or 2 million hours, safely. This means that since June 2009, no TAPS worker, including the more than 225 Crowley employees, has been injured to the extent that they missed a day of work. For more than 30 years Crowley has provided tanker escort, response ship assist and vessel operations for TAPS operator Alyeska Pipeline Services Co.

20 Nov 2001

Houghton Offshore Helps Set Another Record

Houghton Offshore has enabled the Transocean Sedco Forex to set a new world record for the deepest well drilled to date. The drillship Discoverer Spirit used a subsea blowout preventor (BOP), operating on a 2 percent mixture of Houghton Stack Magic 200 BOP fluid, as it drilled at 9,727 ft. below sea level in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, surpassing the previous record of 9,687 ft. set earlier this year. "The previous world record had been set on that same drillship using Houghton's BOP fluid in June 2001," explains LeeRoy J. Patin, Global Offshore manager at Houghton Offshore, a division of Houghton International specializing in the manufacture and formulation of water-based fluids for oil and gas production and exploration equipment.

02 Apr 2004

Keppel, Smedvig Cooperate on New Drilling Tender

Keppel FELS Limited has entered into a cooperation agreement with Smedvig Asia Limited (Smedvig Asia) to build a Semisubmersible Drilling Tender (SSDT) with Keppel Offshore & Marine’s proprietary design. Developed by the Deepwater Technology Group (DTG), the KFELS SSDT3600-GOM-C42 will be the fourth vessel in the series of successful SSDTs that have been gainfully deployed in this region. Valued at $94 million, Keppel FELS and Smedvig Asia will own and operate the ultra deepwater semi tender on a 72/28 basis respectively. The newbuild is due for completion in the third quarter of 2005.

21 Jun 2004

EnerSea Advances CNG Projects

EnerSea Transport LLC (EnerSea) is advancing its efforts into the next phase of two international gas development and import project proposals for the Philippines and New Zealand using EnerSea's compressed natural gas (CNG) marine transport and storage systems and services. The two gas supply projects are being led by Unocal Corporation and Oil Search Limited, respectively. EnerSea along with Oil Search and Itochu Corporation have signed a Pre- Development Agreement to perform a comprehensive feasibility study to establish the viability of a large scale CNG transportation project to ship natural gas from Papua New Guinea (PNG) to New Zealand.

05 Aug 2004

River Remains Closed; Clean-Up Continues

The lower section of the Neches River from just north of DuPont plant to the Veteran’s Bridge remains closed as the oil spill clean up continues. "The safety of our responders, and the restoration and opening of the Neches River as quickly as possible are our main goals," said Capt. Sharon Richey, Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Officer Port Arthur and Captain of the Port. "We have more than 175 responders now on scene working to clean the river. The recovered oil is being taken to a holding tank at the local UNOCAL facility, where it will be recycled. The oiled snare boom and adsorbent pads are being stored in roll-off boxes to be disposed of later. Initial clean up costs are estimated to be $700,000. The costs will rise as clean up continues.

03 Dec 2001

Coast Guard Investigating Crude Oil Spill

The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment in Kenai is investigating a minor crude oil spill that occurred this morning on the Dillon oil and gas production platform located in Cook Inlet. The source of the spill on the platform was a cracked fitting on the discharge side of a high-pressure pump used to re-inject crude oil into the well. The exact size of the spill is unknown, but reports from Unocal officials indicate that the maximum size of the spill was 2,310 gallons. Most of the spilled product did not enter the waters of Cook Inlet, but was contained on the platform. It is not known how much crude oil entered the water. Unocal, in conjunction with CISPRI, conducted over flights of the area and also dispatched the spill response vessel Sea Bulk Montana to the spill location.

30 Nov 2001

Industry Leaders Elected To ABS Membership

Sixty-Nine prominent shipping industry executives have been elected as new members of ABS. In addition, Rear Admiral David L. Brewer III, Commander, Military Sealift Command, U.S. Navy, was appointed as a member. This brings the ABS worldwide membership to 803. The members, each eminent in their maritime field of endeavor, provide broad governance and oversight of ABS. Members are drawn from various sectors of the marine, offshore and related industries worldwide. M.A. Marcelo P. S.A. Ghazi A. Al-Ibrahim, President, Mideast Shipmanagement Ltd. Giovanni Barbaro, Owner, Pietro Barbaro S.p.A. S.p.A. Giuseppe Bottiglieri, Managing Director, Bottiglieri Di Navigazione, S.p.A. Jae Cheol Byun, President, JSM International Ltd. Dr. Mauro Fernando Orofino Campos, President, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.

01 Mar 2002

Smedvig Gets Drilling Contract

Unocal Thailand Ltd. has issued a letter of intent to Smedvig Asia Ltd. for the assignment of the self-erecting tender rig T-4. The production drilling assignment has a duration of five years, and the contract value is estimated at approximately $73 million. The contract includes an incentive arrangement that could increase the contract value. The proposed contract includes early termination provisions after three years against payment of an early termination fee. T-4 is currently working under a drilling contract for Unocal Thailand until mid-December 2002. Thereafter the rig is scheduled for a four months extensive upgrading and classification survey, before it starts up under the new contract in April 2003.

22 May 2000

Unocal GOM Field Proceeding Quickly

Unocal Corp. said development work is going faster than expected on the Muni field in the Gulf of Mexico where appraisal drilling found additional secondary natural gas pay zones. Production from the field on Ship Shoal Block 295 is now expected late this year at an initial sustained rate of 100 million cubic feet of gas and 2,000 barrels of condensate per day, the company said in a report on exploration drilling to date this year prior to Monday's annual meeting in Brea, Calif. Unocal said the first Muni appraisal well penetrated two additional secondary gas pay zones and estimated reserves for the 100 percent owned field offshore Louisiana at 100 to 130 billion cubic feet.

08 Mar 2001

Transocean's Third Deepwater Rig Ready to Begin Work

Transocean Sedco Forex Inc.'s ultra-deepwater drillship Discoverer Deep Seas has completed acceptance testing and has commenced a five-year contract valued at an estimated $374 million for Chevron U.S.A. Production Company in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The Discoverer Deep Seas is the third Discoverer Enterprise-class drillship to join the Transocean Sedco Forex fleet, following the delivery of the Discoverer Spirit to Unocal in September 2000 and the Discoverer Enterprise to BP in December 1999. All three rigs are designed to drill in water depths of up to 10,000 ft. and possess the company's patented dual activity drilling process, comprised primarily of two complete drilling systems within one derrick.

20 Jun 2007

Coalition Seeks to Block Alaska Oil, Gas Permit

A coalition of Native tribal governments, commercial fisherman and environmentalists has filed an administrative appeal to block a wastewater discharge permit for oil and gas operators in southern Alaska's Cook Inlet, Reuters reported. The appeal, filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenges a general permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency that allows established oil and gas production facilities to discharge wastes directly into the inlet's marine waters. The new permit, scheduled to go into effect on July 2, covers 16 offshore oil and gas platforms and three onshore facilities in Cook Inlet, said Dianne Soderlund, communications coordinator for EPA's Alaska oil and gas section.

27 Mar 2006

Chevron: Relations CNOOC 'Normalizing'

Relations between Chevron and China's dominant offshore oil and gas producer CNOOC are 'normalizing' seven months after CNOOC bowed to U.S. political opposition and gave up its fight with Chevron to buy Unocal, as reported by Forbes. Chevron, the second-largest holder of oil and gas reserves in the east Asia-Pacific region after PetroChina, is looking to sell more gas to China as it develops its resources in Australia and Indonesia, the report in the Hong Kong paper said. CNOOC pulled its $18.5 billion bid for Unocal in August last year citing 'unprecedented political opposition' in the U.S. Chevron, which began doing business in China in the 1920s, has continuing partnerships with CNOOC in oil and gas production in offshore centres in China and Western Australia.

14 Jan 2000

Discoverer Enterprise Begins Contract With BP Amoco

Transocean Offshore Inc.'s drillship Discoverer Enterprise has been accepted by BP Amoco and has begun work under a five-year contract with BP Amoco valued at more than $360 million. Dynamically positioned Discoverer Enterprise is the first of a new class of advanced, ultra-deepwater drillships employing the company's proprietary dual-activity drilling system. The vessel has completed equipment appraisal and testing in more than 6,100 ft. of water at BP Amoco's Neptune location in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. It is currently completing plug-and-abandonment work, and after that, it is expected to begin drilling an appraisal well in the Crazy Horse field.

09 May 2003

Unithai Shipyard Has Four Vessels Under Repair

Thailand’s Unithai Shipyard & Engineering currently has four vessels undergoing repair - Technomar Shipping’s 33,185 dwt containership Kota Perwira, Ahrenkiel Shipmanagement’s 26,140 dwt bulk carrier Caria, the Almog, a general cargo vessel owned by Dynamic Shipping Services, and the Spar Cetus, a 45,146 dwt bulk carrier from Fleet Management. Unithai Shipyard has another four vessels scheduled to arrive throughout this month (May) - the Stolt Alliance, a 12,674 dwt chemical tanker from Stolt Nielsen, Osaka Asahi Kaiun’s 16,563 dwt containership Singapore Bridge, the Sutra Dua, an 8,073 dwt chemical tanker from Sutrajaya Shipping, and Bunga Orkid Empat, a 43,246 dwt bulk carrier from Malaysia’s MISC.

06 Jun 2001

AIOC Awaits Go-Ahead on Caspian Oil Project

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.

23 Sep 1999

Unocal Sees Lower 1999 Capital Spending

Unocal Corporation said it expects 1999 capital spending to total between $1 billion and $1.1 billion, down from the estimated $1.7 billion in capital expenditures last year. The lower spending reflects Unocal's narrowed focus on the company's core oil and gas exploration and production program in response to lower commodity prices. The 1998 capital expenditures included significant outlays, such as the Gulf of Mexico OCS leases, to build the company's strong deepwater exploration and growth portfolio. That level of spending for leases is not expected to be repeated in 1999, accounting for about one-fourth of the reduction in the overall capital spending plan. Roger C. Beach, Unocal chairman and CEO said Unocal's actual capital spending in 1999 depends on commodity prices during the year.

01 Sep 1999

Unocal Reports 4Q Results

Unocal Corporation said continued depressed crude oil and natural gas prices, coupled with asset writedowns and restructuring costs, were major factors in the company's reporting a preliminary loss of $29 million in the fourth quarter. This compares with earnings of $142 million in the fourth quarter a year earlier. Because of continued low commodity prices, the company has projected capital expenditures of about one billion dollars for 1999, compared with $1.7 billion in 1998. Unocal has also laid out a goal of reducing annualized cash expenses by $150 million to $200 million from the 1998 level to bolster cash flow. "Our capital plan focuses on preserving our high-potential deepwater exploration and development program in the Gulf of Mexico and Indonesia…

14 Jan 2000

Spirit Energy Partners To Acquire Assets of Tana Oil and Gas

Unocal Corporation's Spirit Energy 76 unit announced its Spirit Energy Partners, L.P., affiliate has agreed to acquire substantially all the Gulf of Mexico shelf assets of Tana Oil and Gas Corporation. The Tana acquisition includes interests in 12 proven properties and nine offshore platforms. The purchase price was not disclosed. Tana has an estimated net risked resource potential of more than 18 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE), including more than 10 MMBOE in proved reserves. Estimated average annual production for 2000 is more than 10,000 BOE per day. "The acquisition of the Tana assets will provide the opportunity to enhance Spirit Energy's position in areas where we already possess a strong foothold and enjoy highly profitable operations," said John T.

02 Mar 2000

Spirit Energy 76 Says Mad Dog Appraisal Well Successful

Unocal Corporation's Spirit Energy 76 unit said the appraisal well drilled on the Mad Dog prospect in Green Canyon block 782 encountered 250 ft. of oil pay in zones that appear to correspond to those penetrated by the discovery well. The appraisal well was drilled to a measured depth of 20,268 ft. about two miles north of the discovery well. A sidetrack to the main appraisal well was drilled to 21,560 ft., and the results are under evaluation. Unocal holds a 25-percent interest in the 2.5 block drilling unit encompassing most of the Mad Dog structure. BP Amoco is operator, with a 63.56-percent interest in the well. BHP owns the remaining interest.