It may only have been the practice race of the TP52s’ Portugal Trophy, but jostling for position at the start line of the Audi MedCup Circuit was still fierce between the 15 TP52s in Portimao today. I was along for the ride aboard Tau Ceramica Andalucia, owned by Javier Banderas who does the navigat
Oil services support company Bergen Group has been awarded an EPCIC contract by StatoilHydro for process modifications on the Sleipner A Platform. The contract is worth 170 million crowns (US $29.4 million). Bergen says the contract will start immediately and completion offshore is planned to take p
Norwegian drill rig group Seadrill is selling ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rigs West Hercules and West Taurus for $1.7 billion and simultaneously leasing back the units. Seadrill said it agreed the combined sale and leaseback deal with and Ship Finance International Limited, which involves a lea
Company News – September 16, 2008 Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (NASDAQ:GLDD) has announced that it will be presenting at the 7th Annual D A Davidson & Co Engineering and Construction Conference on September 18th, 2008. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 1.50pm (ET)/12:50pm (CT). A li
Dredging Organisations – September 16, 2008 The Environment Commission of the Central Dredging Association (CEC) and the Marine Systems Institute of Tallinn University of Technology (MSI) have announced the detailed programme of their joint international seminar “Dredging and the Environment”. The o
Company News – September 16, 2008 Ellicott Dredge Enterprises and its units Ellicott Dredges, Liquid Waste Technology, IMS, and Mud Cat have opened their new factory in Wisconsin in the US. In just four months, Ellicott doubled the size of its Wisconsin factory to 85,000ft2 (10,000m2). The additiona
News – September 16, 2008 Smit Internationale has confirmeds receipt of Boskalis’ invitation to enter into discussions in relation to a contemplated transaction. Smit confirmed that the Boskalis proposal comprises: • the acquisition of Smit by way of a public offer (Euros 62.50 per share) followed b
Irish explorer Island Oil and Gas has appointed a former executive of Cambridge Energy Research Associates to its board. Adrian Doull, who until 2003 was senior director for CERA in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, has joined Island as a non-executive director. Doull was also chief operating offi
Day two of the Rolex Swan Cup saw the different divisions take very different routes. The Swan Maxis went on a hefty 30 nautical mile sail up and down Bomb Alley using the Island of Spargi as a leeward turning mark, whereas the Classics undertook a shorter, 24 nm stroll venturing into the channel as
Norwegian-listed Questerre Energy Corporation says the first of three commitment wells have been spudded in Canada. Questerre that Talisman Energy, the operator, has recently spudded the well under its farm-in agreement with Questerre in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, Quebec. The wells will test multipl
Norwegian companies continue to gear up for the economic bonanza expected from the eventual roll-out of the mighty Shtokman gas field. Norwegian concrete producer Olen Betong has officially opened its new plant in Murmansk, as it readies itself for Shtokman, located about 500 kilometers off the Russ
Aker Solutions has been awarded two contracts by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in Korea worth $235 million. Aker said the contracts were for delivery of drilling equipment for two ultra deepwater drillships. Aker Solutions will deliver complete drilling equipment packages consisting of en
A record 31.4 billion crowns (US $5.4 billion) will be spent on oil and gas exploration on the Norwegian Continental Shelf in 2009, according to Statistics Norway. That compares with the 25.1 billion crowns expected to be spent on oil and gas exploration in 2008 – and reflects the race by internatio
Lloyd’s Register’s Nordic Committee met today in London to discuss current issues and share information. Key topics discussed were the Maritime Labour Convention, control of greenhouse gas emissions from ships and implementation standards to drive improved environmental performance. Roland Ives, Llo
