French oil company Total has made an oil discovery in the Khan Asparuh license, located in the Black Sea offshore Bulgaria. In its 3Q 2016 report on Friday, the oil company said it made the discovery in the Black Sea during the quarter thus opening a new play. Noble Corp.’s 2013-built Globetrotter C
UK-based offshore drilling contractor Ensco saw its profit as well as revenues drop during the third quarter of 2016 mainly due to lower rig utilization. According to its report on Wednesday, the drillers’s profit during the third quarter of 2016 dropped to $85.3 million, compared to $292 million in
Norway’s offshore safety watchdog, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), has found a non-conformity and three improvement points during an audit of Songa Offshore’s overall barrier management on the Songa Equinox semi-submersible rig. PSA said on Thursday it found one non-conformity regarding barrie
Norwegian offshore driller Fred. Olsen Energy sank to a loss in 3Q 2016 and saw a decrease in its revenues when compared to the prior-year quarter. The company also informed that a contract for one of its rigs is expiring tomorrow, October 27. The company on Wednesday posted a net loss totaling $33.
Norwegian oil company Statoil has terminated a contract for the Stena Drilling-owned semi-submersible rig Stena Don earlier than expected thus bringing into question around 180 jobs. According to a statement on Monday by the Norwegian offshore workers’ union, Safe, the contract for the Stena Don rig
Following the recent success of the Roc-2 appraisal well, Quadrant has decided to proceed to the Phoenix South-2 appraisal well offshore Western Australia. Carnarvon Petroleum, Quadrant’s partner on the project, said on Tuesday that the Phoenix South-2 (PS-2) well drilling is expected to begin withi
Offshore drilling contractor Transocean has been awarded several new contracts for its rigs in the UK North Sea as well as a new contract off Canada. According to Transocean’s latest fleet status report on Monday, the 1983-built semi-submersible Sedco 712 has been awarded a 16-well contract in the U
The U.S. offshore rig count remained unchanged for the second week in a row, the oilfield services provider Baker Hughes informed on Friday in its Weekly Rig Count report. BHI Rig Count: U.S. +14 to 553 rigs U.S. Rig Count is up 14 rigs from last week to 553, with oil rigs up 11 to […]
Offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation has received a contract award for a jack-up drilling rig in Qatar. The company reported in its latest fleet status report on Thursday that the jack-up drilling rig Noble Houston Colbert has been awarded a contract by JX Nippon in Qatar. The contract, wi
Singapore’s rig builder Keppel Offshore & Marine, hit by challenging market conditions and a drop in workload, in the third quarter 2016 cut its workforce by 3.080 people; 660 in Singapore and 2,420 in overseas yards. This means that for the first nine months Keppel O&M has reduced its direct workfo
Offshore driller Transocean has through its subsidiary Transocean Phoenix 2 closed the previously announced offering of $600 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2024. The notes are guaranteed by Transocean Ltd., Transocean Inc. and a wholly-owned indirect subsidia
Oil and gas company Niko Resources has reached a settlement agreement with offshore drilling contractor Diamond Offshore over drilling contracts for the pair of semi-submersible rigs Ocean Lexington and Ocean Monarch. Niko hired Diamond’s semi-sub Ocean Monarch in 2011 for a four-year term with the
Quadrant Energy’s Roc-2 well offshore Western Australia has successfully flowed gas and condensate to the surface over the course of a sustained flow test program. Carnarvon Petroleum, a partner in the project, said on Wednesday that the well flow tested at rates up to 51.2 million scf per day of ga
Drilling contractor Rowan Companies is facing a couple of early terminations of drilling contracts while also winning new jack-up deals. Rowan confirmed in its latest fleet status report on Tuesday that its customer Cobalt will pay approximately $96 million in exchange for the right to terminate the
