Over the past three years, the majority of U.S. energy companies have avoided spending big to expand production in the aftermath of the 2020 oil crisis, prioritizing returning more cash to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks. Most oil and gas companies have only announced small increases in their capital spending for... Continue Reading →
Wison starts building Eni’s 2nd Congo-bound FLNG unit
(OET) Chinese shipyard Wison Heavy Industry has officially started the construction of a 2.4 million tonnes per year (mtpa) floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit ordered by Italian oil and gas company Eni. The construction began on 17 December with over 200 people attending the opening ceremony, Wison said. At the end of 2022, Eni... Continue Reading →
South America to stay ‘key region for high-impact exploration’, Westwood says in 2023 outlook
High-impact well numbers in 2023 are expected to be in line with 2020-2022, with 75-85 high-impact wells currently anticipated to complete this year, energy market research and consultancy firm Westwood reports, explaining that this is due to higher oil prices not having fed through into more exploration. South America is set to continue to be a... Continue Reading →
UK oil & gas firm gets green light for Angolan offshore blocks
UK-headquartered Afentra plc has received approval from the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas for the acquisition of INA-Industrija Nafte’s interest in two blocks offshore Angola. Afentra is acquiring from INA-Industrija a 4 per cent interest in Block 3/05 and a 4 per cent interest in Block 3/05A, pursuant to a sale and purchase agreement... Continue Reading →
Yinson’s FPSO Contract in Nigeria Ends after 16 Years as Client Opts to Buy the Floater
(OED) The Malaysian FPSO leasing company Yinson has completed the 16-year contract for FPSO Adoon in Nigeria as the client Addax decided to buy the FPSO. The contract for the FPSO which has been operating at Block OML 123 offshore Nigeria, had an original term of 8 years until 2014, with the option to extend... Continue Reading →
Welligence Global Offshore Drilling Outlook
(OE) Welligence expects global offshore exploration drilling activity in 2023 to remain relatively steady year-on-year. The majors will drive much of the activity in their core regions, along with Petrobras, the world’s leading deepwater operator. And while there are far fewer independents active in the offshore today compared to 10 years ago, Welligence still anticipates... Continue Reading →
BW Energy Spuds First Hibiscus Production Well at Dussafu Block Offshore Gabon
(OED) Oil and gas company BW Energy has started drilling the first production well on the Hibiscus / Ruche Phase 1 development in the Dussafu Block offshore Gabon. The company said Monday that drilling operations had started in the first week of January. First oil is expected in March 2023. BW Energy is using the... Continue Reading →
2023 Forecast:: Led by Brazil, Offshore Oilfield Services Spending to Rise
Figure 1: Courtesy Rystad Energy About the Author: Matt Hale is a Lead Analyst at Rystad Energy, based in Houston, Texas. He covers oilfield services including seismic, drilling, intervention, and abandonment markets. Offshore exploration and production (E&P) capital expenditures (capex) will shake off the pandemic-induced declines of the past two years and rebound by 20%... Continue Reading →
Shelf Drilling’s jack-up rig staying another year in Angola
Offshore drilling contractor Shelf Drilling has secured a contract extension for one of its jack-up rigs, which will continue carrying out operations in Angola. Following the previous extension in November 2022, Shelf Drilling disclosed on Wednesday that a further 12-month contract extension has been exercised for the Shelf Drilling Tenacious jack-up rig in direct continuation of the rig’s current contract for... Continue Reading →
Short-term Extension for BW Offshore FPSO in Nigeria
Oslo-listed FPSO leasing firm BW Offshore has signed a short-term contract extension for the Abo FPSO in Nigeria. The contract, which runs until January 14, 2023, is with Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd, a subsidiary of the Italian oil giant Eni. BW Offshore said that the short-term extension would allow time to finalize terms for a... Continue Reading →