March 18, 2026 – Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras informs a new gas discovery in the Copoazu-1 exploratory well, located in Block GUA-OFF-O in deep waters offshore Colombia. This discovery consolidates the gas province and the gas potential in the Colombian offshore, while also adds a greater volume of gas to contribute to the region’s... Continue Reading →
Noble rig secures $375,000 dayrate contract to drill wells offshore Trinidad and Tobago
March 12 (oilnow.gy) Global offshore rig activity remained steady at the start of 2026, with several new drilling contracts awarded, including a major fixture offshore Trinidad and Tobago. In a March 11 LinkedIn update, Westwood Global Energy Group said the offshore rig market maintained stable utilisation levels across the global fleet. The firm reported that... Continue Reading →
TotalEnergies’ GranMorgu project to feature 50,000 ton topside, 500 MMcf/d gas capacity
March 4 (oilnow.gy) Rystad Energy said TotalEnergies’ GranMorgu development offshore Suriname will feature a 50,000 ton topside and gas-processing capacity of 500 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), underscoring the country’s emergence in the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) segment. In a February 19 report, Rystad Energy said, “TotalEnergies’ FPSO marks Suriname’s emergence in the FPSO... Continue Reading →
Floater Backlog Showing Signs of Strengthening – Westwood
March 1 - After a softer 2025, floater backlog is strengthening for 2026 and beyond, driven by early contracting, strong South American demand, and a growing pipeline of 2027+ programs. By the close of 2025, total floating rig backlog days had fallen 25% compared with 2024. This was in large part due to few contract... Continue Reading →
ExxonMobil advances Goatfish-1 drilling in Southeast portion of Stabroek Block
Feb. 25 (oilnow.gy) ExxonMobil Guyana Limited on February 19, 2026 continued exploration drilling at the Goatfish-1 well site in the Stabroek Block, according to a notice issued by the Guyana Maritime Administration Department. The well is being drilled by the MODU Noble Sam Croft and operations are scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2026. The... Continue Reading →
South America and Africa to Lead High-Impact Exploration Well Drilling in 2026 – Westwood
Feb. 23 - Africa and South America are expected to lead high-impact exploratory drilling in 2026, with a forecast of 19 and 15 wells, respectively, according to the consulting firm Westwood Global Energy Group. In Brazil, the highlights are the Tupinambá well, from BP, and the Morpho well, from Petrobras. In total, the company estimates... Continue Reading →
Oil companies jostle for projects to boost Venezuelan output quickly; a real grind awaits
Feb 19 (Reuters) - In September, a rig used to drill wells in shallow waters completed the long trip from China to Venezuela's oil-producing region of Lake Maracaibo. The passage of the big old rig named Alula just inches below the bridge connecting Maracaibo city with the oilfields of the lake's eastern coast stirred excitement... Continue Reading →
Azule Energy Makes Significant Oil Discovery Offshore Angola
Feb. 16 (OE) Azule Energy, jointly owned by Eni and BP, has made an oil discovery at the Algaita-01 exploration well in Block 15/06 offshore Angola, with initial estimates pointing to approximately 500 million barrels of oil in place. The well, located in the offshore Lower Congo Basin, was spudded on January 10, 2026, in... Continue Reading →
Transocean to Acquire Valaris for $5.8B
Feb. 9 (Reuters) Oilfield services firm Transocean said on Monday it will acquire peer Valaris in an all-stock deal valued at $5.8 billion, expanding its exposure across deepwater, harsh-environment and shallow-water basins worldwide. Transocean shares were down 4% at $5.16, while Valaris shares were up 14.6% at $71.61 in premarket trade. Oilfield service providers have... Continue Reading →
Floatel Firms Up Accommodation Rig Contract with Brava Energia off Brazil
Feb. 4 (OE) Offshore accommodation rig provider Floatel International has signed a contract with Brava Energia for its Floatel Victory unit, which will be deployed offshore Brazil. Floatel Victory will provide Maintenance and Safety Unit (MSU) services for Brava Energia. The MSU assignment has a duration of six months, with options to extend the contract.... Continue Reading →