(offshore-energy.biz) U.S.-headquartered offshore energy services provider Helix Energy Solutions has confirmed the arrival of its purpose-built DP3 semi-submersible vessel to Namibia’s Port of Walvis Bay to prepare for its decommissioning assignment off the coast of Brazil. The U.S. player won a 12-month deepwater well decommissioning contract with extension options for work in Brazil’s Campos Basin in October... Continue Reading →
Offshore Service Vessels: What’s in Store in 2025
Jesper Skjong, Contributor (OE) After what we would argue has been an incredibly eventful 2024 with massive deals, tremendous dayrate developments, further charterer backlog build, and the first series of newbuild orders in years, now comes the time when we turn our gaze towards 2025. What are some of the main trends we expect for next... Continue Reading →
Galp Spuds Another Well Offshore Namibia
(OE) Galp and its partners have spudded another well in the Orange Basin, off Namibia, following the discovery of light oil and gas condensate in an appraisal well announced earlier in December. After the discovery at the Mopane-1A well, Galp and its PEL83 offshore block partners, NAMCOR and Custos, have decided to retain Saipem’s Santorini... Continue Reading →
Shell Pumps the Brakes on Offshore Wind Investments, Splits Power Group
Shell is stepping back from new offshore wind investments and is splitting its power division following an extensive review of the business that was once seen as a key driver of the company's energy transition strategy. (Reuters) The changes are part of a company-wide review launched in 2023 aimed at reducing costs as CEO Wael Sawan focuses... Continue Reading →
Galp’s Appraisal Well Delivers Light Oil and Gas-Condensate Off Namibia
Portuguese oil and gas company Galp has found light oil and gas-condensate in an appraisal well drilled in Orange Basin block, offshore Namibia. The appraisal well, Mopane-1A, was spud on October 23 with Saipem’s Santorini drillship, at PEL83 offshore block. In an update from November 29, Galp has confirmed that the Mopane-1A well encountered light oil and... Continue Reading →
TotalEnergies Grows Its Orange Basin Appetite
(Reuters) TotalEnergies is seeking environmental authorization to drill up to seven exploration wells in the southern part of its Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB) block off the west coast of South Africa, documents from environmental consultants SLR showed on Tuesday. Oil companies including Shell are looking towards South Africa's west coast, close to the border... Continue Reading →
QatarEnergy Boosts Offshore Stakes in Namibia
(Reuters) QatarEnergy has entered into an agreement with TotalEnergies to acquire additional offshore exploration interests in the Orange Basin off the coast of Namibia, it said on Sunday. The deal includes a 5.25% increase in QatarEnergy's stake in block 2913B and a 4.695% increase in block 2912, QatarEnergy said in a statement. Under the agreement,... Continue Reading →
Angola Outlines Plans for Multi-Year Oil and Gas License Rounds from 2026
(Reuters) Angola intends to replicate its maiden multi-year licensing round for oil and gas acreage from 2026, a senior government energy official said on Thursday, as the country looks to boost production and investment. The first multi-year auction for 50 onshore and offshore blocks was for 2019-2025, as Angola strives to arrest a steep decline... Continue Reading →
Saipem about to start Namibia drilling project for Galp, CEO says
(Reuters) - Saipem is about to start work on deep water drilling in Namibia for Portugal's Galp Energia , the chief executive of the Italian energy contractor said on Thursday. In early 2024 Galp carried out tests at its Mopane-1X and Mopane-2X wells and estimated in April that the Mopane field could hold at least 10 billion barrels of... Continue Reading →
Deepwater Investments Outpacing Shale
By Alex Kimani (oilprice.com) Over the past two decades, the shale revolution largely pushed aside interest in the exploration and development of offshore hydrocarbons. The combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling enabled the United States to significantly increase its production of oil and natural gas from tight oil formations, with the Shale Patch accounting for 36% of... Continue Reading →