AFRICA

TGS begins multiclient seismic survey offshore Liberia

TGS has started acquisition of a 3-D multiclient survey, Sunfish, which covers up to 7,800 sq km (3,012 sq miles) of highly prospective acreage in the Harper basin offshore Liberia, the company said in a press release. TGS is chartering the 1-streamer Polarcus Asima for the survey, and the charter will last for approximately six months. Data processing will be performed by TGS and will be available to clients in 4Q 2013 prior to the Liberia 2013 bid round.

Vantage seals drillship award offshore West Africa

A US $468 million contract for a drilling program offshore West Africa has been awarded to Vantage Drilling Co. for its Tungsten Explorer drillship, with other contracts expected to be sealed soon, the company said in a press release. The conditional letter of award by an unspecified customer for the newbuild drillship specifies a period of up to four years starting mid-2014. The contract has a minimum duration of two years, while the customer has four six-month options to extend the deal, Vantage said.

ASIA-PACIFIC

TAG beginsTaranaki basin drilling program

TAG Oil Ltd. will begin its 2013 Taranaki basin drilling program within the Cheal and Sidewinder fields onshore New Zealand and within its newly awarded acreage, the company said in a press release. The drilling campaign will consist of a minimum of 13 wells and will continue to target the Mount Messenger/Urenui formation targets as well as deeper high-impact targets in the Kapuni formation. TAG will contract Ensign Drilling’s Deep Rig No. 31 to drill one or more deep prospects, including Cardiff, which are tentatively scheduled to commence in May 2013.

Chevron partners with CNOOC for blocks offshore China

Chevron China Energy Co., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., has entered into production-sharing contracts (PSCs) with China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) for two exploration blocks in the South China Sea’s Pearl River Mouth basin, the company said in a press release. Under the PSC agreements, Chevron China will hold a 100% interest in blocks 15/10 and 15/28. During the exploration phase, Chevron China will be the operator of the two shallow-water blocks that in total cover an area of approximately 5,782 sq km (2,233 sq miles).

MIDDLE EAST

Dragon Oil signs contract for Iraqi exploration block

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the Tender Committee signed the final service contract with a consortium of companies, including Dragon Oil, for the exploration, development, and production of Block 9 in Iraq, according to a company press release. Dragon Oil bid jointly with Kuwait Energy, which will be the operator in the service contract with a 70% contractor share. Dragon Oil will hold a 30% interest. Block 9 is located in the Basra province and covers an area of approximately 900 sq km (347 sq miles).

Halliburton service vessel stationed in Persian Gulf

Halliburton’s newest stimulation service vessel, the Stim Star Arabian Gulf, is working with Saudi Aramco for the Manifa field stimulation campaign offshore Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, the company said in a press release. Built for use by Saudi Aramco, the vessel will serve as a high-performance platform for delivering technology and stimulation treatments. The Stim Star Arabian Gulf vessel is 71 m (234 ft) long, 17 m (56 ft) wide, and 6 m (18 ft) deep and can provide up to 14,000 hhp for stimulation treatments.

EUROPE

Subsea 7, Eidesvik unveil Seven Viking vessel

A new harsh environment vessel, the Seven Viking, was unveiled and named at a special ceremony in Stavanger, Norway. The inspection, maintenance, and repair vessel is co-owned by Subsea 7 and Eidesvik and was constructed in partnership with Ulstein. The ICE-C class vessel, with a crew capacity of 90 and a top speed of 17 knots, will work for Statoil on a five-year contract, Subsea 7 said in a press release.

Aker seals second call-off project for Statoil

Aker Solutions has been awarded a second call-off project by Statoil under its Sleipner Modification Portfolio Agreement involving the tie-in of gas production from the Dagny field. The contract is valued at US $118 million, Aker said in a press release. The contract involves modification work on the Sleipner A platform, including engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning to tie in gas production from the Dagny platform to Sleipner A. Engineering work will be carried out at Aker Solutions’ offices in Stavanger and Bergen in Norway and in Mumbai in India. The project will be completed in 2016.

GULF OF MEXICO

Cobalt makes Garden Banks discovery

Cobalt International Energy Inc. has made a Lower Tertiary oil discovery at its North Platte prospect in Garden Banks Block 959 offshore Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), according to a company press release. The No. 1 (BP) OCS G30876 was drilled to 10,516 m (34,500 ft) in a water depth of 1,341 m (4,400 ft). Cobalt said that wireline evaluation encountered several hundred feet of net oil pay in multiple Lower Tertiary sands. According to partner Total E&P, the discovery could produce several hundred million barrels of oil. Cobalt operates North Platte with 60% working interest, and Total has 40% interest.

FMC receives $114 million subsea contract from LLOG

FMC Technologies Inc. received a subsea equipment order from LLOG Exploration Co. LLC for the Delta House project in the GoM. The order has an estimated value of $114 million, the company said in a press release. The project is located in the Mississippi Canyon area in water depths of approximately 1,524 m (5,000 ft). FMC Technologies’ scope of supply includes nine subsea trees, four subsea manifolds, five multiphase meters, and associated topside control systems and subsea distribution systems. The equipment is scheduled for delivery in 2013.

NORTH AMERICA

Buccaneer completes production test at Kenai Loop well

Buccaneer Energy Ltd. successfully completed a production test of the Kenai Loop No. 4 well onshore Cook Inlet, Alaska, the company said in a press release. In the initial stage of testing, the well successfully tested gas to the surface at a rate of 3 MMcf/d on a 12/ 64 -in. choke with a flowing tubing pressure of 3,365 psi with no water detected. Gas was flared at the location. The well flowed uninterrupted for 24 hours and was shut in for 24 hours for a second pressure buildup test, the company said.

Apache hits oil, gas offshore Louisiana

Apache Corp. reported results from a flow test at a well offshore St. Mary Parish, La., in Atchafalaya Bay. The No. 1 State Lease 20255 produced 208 bbl of 47°API gravity crude and 20 MMcf/d of gas. Production is from Cibicides opima (Miocene) perforations starting at 6,287 m (20,625 ft). Tested on a 14/ 64 -in. choke, the flowing tubing pressure was 12,223 psi, and the shut-in tubing pressure was 14,000 psi.

SOUTH AMERICA

Repsol, Petrobras, BG start production of Sapinhoa field

Partners Repsol, Petrobras, and BG Group have started commercial production at the Sapinho? field located in block BM-S-9 of the Brazilian presalt region, Repsol said in a press release. Guara-1, the first producing well with more than 25,000 b/d of production potential, was connected to the Cidade de S?o Paulo platform ahead of its scheduled start-up date. Further wells will be connected to the platform in the coming months to reach a production of 120,000 b/d of crude oil in the first half of 2014. Block BM-S-9 is operated by Petrobras (45%), Repsol Sinopec Brazil (25%), and BG Group (30%).

Canacol completes Mono Arana 1 exploration well

Canacol Energy Ltd. completed its Mono Arana 1 exploration well drilled on the VMM2 E&P contract located in the Middle Magdalena Valley of Colombia, the company said in a press release. The well was drilled to a depth of 3,030 m (9,942 ft) within the Cretaceous La Luna formation. Two intervals within the tertiary Lisama sandstone were flowed at a combined average gross rate of 1,242 b/d of oil. The section of formation penetrated contains approximately 70 m (230 ft) of potential net oil pay with an average porosity of 14%. ExxonMobil Exploration Colombia is operator of the block with 70.1% interest, joined by partners Canacol with 20% interest and Vetra Exploracion y Produccion Colombia with 9.9% interest.