Drilling & production

The Norwegian rig giant, Seadrill, has reported a higher than forecast net income for Q1, prompting the company to consider further newbuild orders.

Chesapeake Energy Corp has announced that it has received a loan worth US$ 3 billion from Goldman Sachs and Jeffries Group that should provide the company with short-term financial flexibility. The company’s CEO, Aubrey McClendon continues to face intense scrutiny over his financial activity.

Concho has announced that it has agreed to a deal to purchase US$ 1 billion worth of Permian assets from Three Rivers Operating Company.

Chevron and Tohoku Electric have signed a preliminary agreement to sell 1 million tpy of LNG to the company for 20 years.

Total has announced that its planned “Top Kill” well intervention scheme is due “within a very few days.” The company’s North Sea Elgin rig has been leaking gas since late March, although the estimated amount of gas leaked per day has reportedly decreased by up to 75%.

GE announced today the opening of GE Shenhua Gasification Technology Company Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture with Shenhua Group to advance the development and deployment of “cleaner coal” technology solutions in China.

A recent helicopter crash in the UK North Sea has caused at least one offshore workers union to call for all helicopters operated by Bond Aviation to be grounded. The results gathered from a probe into the cause of the crash may be used as evidence in an ongoing police investigation.

Siemens Energy has been awarded a long-term service contract for 16 gas turbines spread across three Santos GLNG sites.

In the wake of the Argentinian government’s decision to expropriate YPF, the Spanish former owners of the company, Repsol, have vowed to take legal action.

The government of Alberta, Canada has released a further study examining the amount of carbon produced by crude refined from oil sands instead of conventional sources.

According to GBI Research, China looks set to dominate the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific coal mining industry for at least the rest of the current decade.

Leighton Contractors has won the US$ 93 million EPC contract from JKC Australia LNG Pty Ltd for Temporary site works at Blaydin Point, Darwin.

The Spanish company Repsol has posted a higher than expected Q1 income despite suffering losses as a result of the Argentinian government’s decision to nationalise YPF.

Sudan’s recent dispute with its southern neighbour has created a US$ 2.4 billion hole in the nations finances.

Shell has reported that it has uncovered two further onshore oil pipeline leaks in Nigeria’s Delta, soon after the company declared force majeure on crude exports due to theft-related outages.