Drilling simulation technology provider Drilling Systems has launched a next-generation DrillSIM Downhole model to support realistic training for geothermal applications. The model is now implemented for the first time at the Drilling Simulator Celle, a research facility of Clausthal University of Technology (TUC) in Germany. The new downhole model will further enhance the research and... Continue Reading →
Transocean Deploys World’s First Subsea 20,000 psi Blowout Preventer
(OE) Offshore drilling contractor Transocean said Wednesday that the world’s first subsea 20,000 psi blowout preventer (BOP) had been successfully deployed from its Deepwater Titan drillship. The 20K BOP stack, supplied by NOV, is designed for use with extremely high-pressure reservoirs and can be used in ultra-deepwater applications "This cutting-edge technology opens up new opportunities... Continue Reading →
PAC 2023: Petrobras will have 47 projects with investments of up to BRL 323 billion
(PN) Petrobras will have 47 projects included in the new Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), launched this Friday, in Rio de Janeiro, by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The company's investments in PAC 2023 amount to R$ 323 billion. The president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, highlighted, among them, pre-salt production systems, revitalization of conventional... Continue Reading →
Solstad Offshore Wins $100M Vessel Contracts with PRIO and Equinor in Brazil
Solstad Offshore has been awarded two contracts worth $100 million in total from Brazilian clients. The Norwegian offshore vessel owner said that its construction support vessel, Normand Pioneer, won an extension of its charter contract with the Brazilian oil company PRIO for a period of 18 months to August 2025. The vessel will support PRIO's... Continue Reading →
Colombia’s Ecopetrol hails new oil and gas discovery
(Reuters) - Colombia's majority state-owned oil company Ecopetrol on Thursday reported a new oil and gas discovery in Putumayo province. The Alqamari-2 well was drilled to a depth of 9,287 feet and saw daily flow of 1,800 barrels of oil, Ecopetrol said in a statement. The oil is a light hydrocarbon. The rate of associated... Continue Reading →
Valaris undertakes $400 million private placement to fund acquisition of two drillships
(OET) Offshore drilling contractor Valaris Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Valaris Finance Company LLC, have disclosed a pricing of $400 million upsized private placement of additional 8.375 per cent senior secured second lien notes due 2030. The net proceeds of this offering will be used to finance the purchase of two Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine... Continue Reading →
International offshore rig count activity on the rise
Baker Hughes’ international rig count report shows a boost in the number of offshore rigs in July 2023, as 6 additional units were recorded compared to the month before. On the other hand, the total number of international rigs saw a drop in activity, falling to 961 from 967 units in June 2023. Following a decrease of... Continue Reading →
APA’s Appraisal Well Confirms Extension of Oil Resources Offshore Suriname
(Reuters) APA Corp. said on Wednesday its most recent appraisal well in Block 58 off Suriname's coast confirmed the extension of oil resources 14 kilometers from the discovery well. APA's exploration in Suriname has been closely watched as it could become Suriname's first commercial deepwater project. Massive discoveries and fast-growing oil production in neighboring Guyana... Continue Reading →
Rystad: Offshore Sector Dominates Oil & Gas Exploration Spending, But Results Disappointing in 2023
(OE) Spending on conventional oil and gas exploration is on the rise and is set to top $50 billion this year, led by offshore investments, however, discovery volumes are falling to new lows, despite the rising investments. This is according to Rystad Energy, a Norway-based energy industry intelligence group. Rystad's estimates show that in the... Continue Reading →
Valaris to Reactivate Drillship for $364M West Africa Contract
Offshore drilling firm Valaris said Monday it had secured a 12-well contract offshore West Africa for drillship VALARIS DS-7. Valaris will reactivate the drillship for this contract. The contract, with an undisclosed client, is expected to start in the second quarter of 2024 and has an estimated duration of 850 days. The total contract value... Continue Reading →