Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corp will stop investing in new oil development projects as it shifts away from fossil fuels businesses amid a global push to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday. The move comes as global miners and Japanese trading companies cut their exposure to coal operations, including mining... Continue Reading →
SpaceX bought two oil rigs to convert into offshore launch pads for Starship
SpaceX's next spacecraft is in development in Texas, and CEO Elon Musk previously revealed that the company was planning to build floating spaceports for Starship operations, after a job ad was posted looking for someone to oversee their development. Now, SpaceX has purchased two oil rigs to convert for this purpose, as first reported by spaceflight.com's Michael... Continue Reading →
The 2020 offshore rig market – a year in review
Just how bad was it? The year of 2020 has to be one of the toughest and most challenging for the offshore rig market. After starting on a high with the knowledge that the previous oil price crash was now well and truly in the past, demand, dayrates and utilization were all showing healthy improvement. The... Continue Reading →
DNV GL to Change Name
Norway-based risk management and quality assurance company DNV GL will change its name to DNV on March 1, 2021. The classification society, providing services to offshore and maritime industries, among others, has had the current name since the 2013 merger between DNV (Det Norske Veritas) and GL (Germanischer Lloyd). "The name simplification is a natural... Continue Reading →
Oil Rises to 11-month High
Oil hit an 11-month high just below $57 a barrel on Tuesday, bolstered by Saudi Arabia's plans to limit supply, offsetting worries that rising coronavirus cases globally would curtail fuel demand. Brent crude was up 79 cents, or 1.4%, at $56.45 a barrel by 1:38 p.m. EST (1838 GMT) after touching its highest level since... Continue Reading →
Opinion: Biden Administration Can Align with Offshore Energy
Economic recovery. Climate change. Racial equity. COVID-19. These four issues are at the core of President-elect Joe Biden’s Day 1 priorities. Separately, each issue seems like a monumental challenge with no easy solution. But there is a path forward for each priority offered by America’s offshore energy industry. The continued success of U.S. offshore... Continue Reading →
Swinging Again, Saudi Arabia Sacrifices Market Share to Protect Oil Price
Saudi Arabia’s announcement that it will reduce oil output by 1 million barrels per day in February and March has boosted prices and helped paper over divisions within the producer alliance, at least temporarily. The unilateral cut, announced on Tuesday, reaffirms Saudi Arabia, rather than the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) or the... Continue Reading →
Oil outlook for 2021 hit by new COVID-19 strain: Reuters poll
(Reuters) - Oil prices are unlikely to mount much of a recovery in 2021 as a new coronavirus variant and related travel restrictions threaten already weakened fuel demand, a Reuters poll showed on Thursday. The poll of 39 economists and analysts conducted in the second half of December forecast Brent crude prices would average $50.67... Continue Reading →
Rystad expects 2021 to bring largest crude deficits in years
The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated crude and condensate demand in 2020, creating massive supply surpluses and filling up inventories, causing producers to slash output in order to keep prices at somewhat profitable levels, according to Rystad Energy. Rystad Energy’s latest balances, however, show that 2021 could offer producers a window of opportunity, as monthly supply... Continue Reading →
Offshore Rig Values Take $30 Billion Hit in Just 12 months
The challenges of 2020 have made their mark on offshore rig values but have they reached the trough? Bassoe's Hans Hagelberg takes a deeper look. It may be the understatement of the decade, but the offshore rig market has had a pretty bad year. The Coronavirus pandemic and collapsing commodity prices have resulted in dozens... Continue Reading →