From an oil discovery in Norway to Ecopetrol’s new operations in Colombia, below is a compilation of the latest headlines in the E&P space.

Activity 

Norway Reports Oil Discovery on Eastern Flank of Brage Field 

OKEA and the licensees in production license (PL) 055 have discovered oil along the eastern flank of the Brage Field, the Norwegian offshore directorate reported. 

The discovery was made in the southern part of the Prince prospect in wildcat well 31/4-A-23 G. Well 31/4-A-23 F, which was drilled in the northern part of the Prince prospect, was dry.  

Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery at 1.9 MMbbl to 17.5 MMbbl, with recoverable oil equivalent of 300,000 MMbbl to 2.8 MMbbl. 

The licensees will now assess the deposit as part of the further development of the Brage Field. PL 055 was awarded in April 1979 in the fourth licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf. These are the 13th and 14th exploration wells to be drilled in the production license.  

The Brage Field is located in the northern part of the North Sea, 10 km east of the Oseberg Field. The field was proven in 1980, and the plan for development and operation was approved in 1990. Production started in 1993.  

Well 31/4-A-23 G was drilled horizontally at a vertical depth of 2,120 m to 2,171 m along the eastern flank of the Brage Field.  

The well encountered a sandstone layer 3 m to 4 m thick in the Sognefjord Formation, and the well was drilled to a total measured depth of 1,138 m along this sandstone layer. The well proved a 20-m thick oil column in sandstones with moderate to good reservoir properties. The oil/water contact was not encountered. 

The well was drilled to a total measured depth of 10,023 m and a vertical depth of 2,171 m below sea level.  

Water depth at the site is 140 m. The wells have been permanently plugged and abandoned.  

Ecopetrol to Proceed with Natural Gas Drilling Offshore Colombia 

Ecopetrol plans to move ahead with natural gas drilling operations in the Colombian Caribbean after Shell withdrew from three offshore blocks, Bloomberg reported. 

Shell said April 24 it was pulling out of the COL-5, Purple Angel and Fuerte Sur blocks, effectively ending its exploration in Colombia. Ecopetrol said at the time that the two companies were working together to guarantee the continuity of the projects. 

The first gas output from these offshore wells is anticipated no sooner than 2029.  

Cenovus Energy Shuts In Christina Lake Operations 

Cenovus Energy Inc. shut in production May 29 at its Christina Lake operations after wildfire activity in northern Alberta.

All staffers were safe and only essential personnel remain at the oil sands asset, the company said June 1. 

The company expects a full restart of its operations at Christina Lake. Approximately 238,000 bbl/d have been impacted so far, the company said.

Contracts and company news 

Wärtsilä Opens New Logistics Center to Improve US Customer Service 

Technology group Wärtsilä announced an expansion of its U.S. and North American footprint with the establishment of the Houston Logistics Center (HLC) at the company’s North American headquarters. It is scheduled to open this summer. 

The HLC is designed to support Wärtsilä’s customer base and growing fleet of operating engine power plants across the U.S. The facility will enable faster delivery of engine inspection-dependent and critical components for Wärtsilä’s power generation solutions—ensuring customers experience reduced downtime and enhanced responses during maintenance activities or unexpected operational interruptions.  

“The launch of the HLC underscores our long-term commitment to the U.S. market and marks a significant milestone in our mission to meet the region’s growing power needs with speed, precision, and reliability,” said Risto Paldanius, vice president-Americas for Wärtsilä Energy.  

Wärtsilä’s existing Houston Expertise Center delivers 24/7 remote support to its U.S. and Canadian energy sector customers. 

The HLC is part of Wärtsilä Global Logistics Services, which operates in more than 30 countries. 

NesmaKent Energy Secures Energy Infrastructure Contract with Aramco 

NesmaKent Energy Co. has signed a strategic contract with Aramco to lead the first phase of the National EPC Champion Initiative. The inaugural seed project under this agreement focuses on enhancing water handling facilities in the South Ghawar Area, an initiative aligned with Aramco’s long-term corporate strategy to sustain crude oil production. 

NesmaKent is a joint venture between Nesma & Partners, a Saudi contracting company, and Kent, a global engineering company. It was formed to support the execution of Saudi Aramco’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) projects within the industrial sector as part of the National EPC Champion program, announced in 2022. 

ABS Approves Hull Monitoring Concept from Light Structures 

ABS has issued an approval in principle to Light Structures for its new hull monitoring concept, Argus-VM. 

The Argus-VM concept received a SMART (SHM) Tier 1 AIP from ABS, which provides an industry recognition that the product complies with the functional and system requirements listed in the ABS Guide for Smart Functions for Marine Vessels and Offshore Units. 

Unlike traditional hull monitoring systems that require physical strain sensors, Argus-VM provides virtual measurements of hull responses using vessel data from existing onboard systems. This makes it a scalable alternative for a wider range of shipowners and shipbuilders looking to monitor structural performance without additional onboard instrumentation.