(OET) The offshore drilling market has been reaping the benefits of the ongoing upcycle, as rising demand and tightening supply brought higher day rates and fleet utilization in 2023. Will this trend continue in 2024? Westwood Global Energy, an energy market research and consultancy firm, has outlined its top three predictions for the year ahead,... Continue Reading →
Petrobras on exploratory blocks in São Tomé and Príncipe
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras informs that the Board of Directors has approved the company's operations in São Tomé and Príncipe, a country on the west coast of Africa, enabling the acquisition of stakes in 3 exploratory blocks, through a competitive process conducted by Shell. The transaction is part of the scope of the Memorandum... Continue Reading →
What to Watch in ’24: Global Exploration Outlook
Industry continues chasing big oil, key gas targets also on the radar (OE) Global exploration drilling is set for a boost in 2024 – we have line of sight on over 200 wells targeting over 30 bnboe of resource (unrisked). Several gas hotspots are on the industry agenda, whilst the strong appetite for oil exploration... Continue Reading →
Equinor takes stakes in 2 Angola oil exploration blocks
(Reuters) - Equinor (EQNR.OL) has secured stakes in two more oil exploration blocks offshore Angola as it seeks to extend its presence in the country, the head of the Norwegian company's Africa operation said in a statement on Friday. Equinor is reshaping its international portfolio, announcing a sale on Friday of all assets in Azerbaijan while deepening its commitment... Continue Reading →
Petrobras Contracts Seadrill Drillship Pair
(OE) Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill on Friday announced that Petrobras has awarded 1,064-day fixed-term contracts to each of the West Auriga and the West Polaris in Brazil. The contracts are expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2024 and represent total contract value of approximately $1.1 billion, inclusive of additional services and mobilization fees,... Continue Reading →
Drill ship to drill in the Pitu Oeste Field in the Potiguar Basin
(TN) The Petrobras drill ship that will be responsible for drilling the Pitu Oeste well, on the Equatorial Margin, arrived in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The vessel left Rio de Janeiro on December 6th and will begin operating later this month in the BM-POT-17 concession. The license to drill exploratory wells, in... Continue Reading →
Petronas drills its first deepwater well in the Campos Basin
(PN) Petronas began drilling its first exploratory well in the country this week. The activity took place in a water depth of 3,027 meters, in block C-M-661, in the Campos Basin. The well is being drilled by the Valaris Renaissance rig (DS-15) and has been named Mola-1. As a reminder, block C-M-661 was purchased by... Continue Reading →
QatarEnergy Signs Production Sharing Deals for Blocks Offshore Suriname
(Reuters) QatarEnergy signed two production sharing contracts on Friday relating to two marine areas off the coast of Suriname, rights to which it won during an auction held last June, the company said in a statement. "QatarEnergy will own a 30% working interest in block 64, while TotalEnergies, the operator, will own 40%, and Petronas... Continue Reading →
Report: international E&P outlook will remain ‘healthy’ for 2024
Bruce Beaubouef * Managing Editor(OM) The outlook for international E&P for next year “remains healthy,” according to Evercore ISI’s latest Offshore Rig Market Snapshot report. The report borrowed from the firm’s recently released 2024 Evercore ISI E&P spending survey and 2024 Oilfield Services outlook, which found that E&P spending growth in the US for 2024... Continue Reading →
Bid Round Raises Optimism in Brazil’s Deep Water Industry
On December 13, 193 blocks were auctioned in Brazil’s oil and gas licensing round, signaling strong optimism for the industry, according to Wood Mackenzie. Highlights from these bid rounds included: • The total amount in bonuses was US$85 million • 44 blocks were acquired in the Pelotas Basin, a frontier area. Petrobras will operate 29 and Chevron... Continue Reading →