Federal Waters
Tankers
Iran Says It Seized Tanker After Collision, Operator Says Tanker Was In Compliance
Iran said on July 20 it seized a British-flagged oil tanker because it was involved in an accident, but Britain's foreign minister said he feared Tehran was taking "a dangerous path" and other major European powers expressed alarm.
Field Development , Lease Sales
Dominican Republic Opens Doors To First Ever Licensing Round
There were 14 offshore and onshore blocks put up for bidding with a transparent, low-risk contract for investors.
Deepwater
Turkey Says Second Ship Set To Drill Off Cyprus
A second Turkish drillship will begin drilling for oil and natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean within a week, Turkey's energy minister said, in a move which that could strain ties with Cyprus over jurisdiction rights for exploration.
Lease Sales
Brazil's Petrobras Puts Offshore Gas Fields, Exploration Bloc Up For Sale
Brazilian state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA has put its Peroa and Cangoa shallow-water natural gas fields and a deepwater exploration concession known as Malombe in the state of Espirito Santo up for sale, the company said.
Acquisitions & Divestitures
Exxon Mobil Seeks Bids For Norwegian Offshore Assets
Exxon Mobil is considering selling all of the stakes it holds in oil and gas fields off the Norwegian coast, a spokeswoman said.
Investment , Deepwater
Shell To Invest Up To $2.4 Billion In Mexican Deepwater Oil Projects
Mexico's oil regulator on June 13 approved exploration plans for four deepwater areas operated by Royal Dutch Shell , after it gave the green light to five others earlier this week, committing the oil major to invest at least $791 million.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) , Tankers
Shell Ships First LNG Cargo From Australia's Prelude
Royal Dutch Shell on June 10 shipped the long-awaited first cargo of LNG from its Prelude floating LNG plant off northwest Australia, sealing Australia's position as the world's top LNG exporter.
Health, Safety & Environment , Lease Sales
US Vows First Oil Lease Sale In Alaska Arctic Refuge This Year
The U.S. Interior Department is determined to sell oil leases for the first time this year in the ecologically sensitive but presumably petroleum-rich coastal plain of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a Trump administration official said on Thursday.
Acquisitions & Divestitures
Udpated: Algeria's Energy Minister Softens Comments On Total Buying Anadarko's Algerian Assets
AAlgeria's energy minister said he would seek a "good compromise" when asked about his earlier comments that Algiers would block a plan by France's Total to buy Anadarko's Algerian assets.
Deepwater
Shell Starts Up Appomattox Ahead Of Schedule
Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary Shell Offshore Inc. said on May 23 that it had started up its Appomattox project in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM) several months ahead of schedule.