Drilling & production

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd joint venture has started production at Gbaran-Ubie Phase 2, a key project in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.

Despite a slowdown in the number of rigs being added in the shale basins, output targets will be met or exceeded as producers are adding to their hedged positions, according to ESAI Energy’s recently released North America Watch.

Well-Safe Solutions has announced the appointment of two more directors to lead the recently launched business which aims to become a market-leader in North Sea decommissioning.

KBR will also perform PMC services for the Detailed Engineering phase of the project under a contract awarded by Occidental of Abu Dhabi Ltd. which is jointly managing the project with OMV Offshore Abu Dhabi GmbH on behalf of ADNOC.

Under the terms of the agreements, KrisEnergy has 60 days to declare a final investment decision thereby signalling the formal launch of the Apsara project, which is expected to take up to 24 months to produce first oil.

Premier Oil has confirmed media speculation that it has reached agreement with a third party for the disposal of its entire 33.8% interest in the Wytch Farm field.

Wireline and mud logs have confirmed 4 zones of interpreted gas saturated sandstones at field production levels (depths from approximately 1000 metres (3300 ft) to 1560 m (5100 ft).

Sanchez Energy Corporation has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Javelina asset in the Eagle Ford Shale for approximately US$105 million in cash.

The API has urged the US administration to expand the next five-year offshore oil and natural gas leasing program to include areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, including the Atlantic, Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic.

Maersk Drilling has been awarded a contract by Shell for the deepwater semi-submersible rig Mærsk Developer.

KBR Inc. has been awarded pre-front end engineering design and project support services contracts by BP.

Whiting will use the net proceeds from the sale to repay US$500 million of its current US$550 million bank debt. The effective and closing date of the sale is September 1, 2017.

These two drilling contracts are to be deployed in PetroChina’s CBM (coal bed methane) Blocks - Fanzhuang and Anze - within Shanxi Province and are estimated to have an aggregate value of at least US$2 million.

Gas projects in Australia and Trinidad are fourth and fifth of seven major projects start-ups BP expects in 2017.

Petrobras reports that its total oil and natural gas production in July was 2.74 million boe/d, 2.63 million boe/d of which produced in Brazil and 114 000 boe/d produced abroad.