Drilling & production

State-owned China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) has won the rights to explore and produce oil in the Kashkari, Bazarkhami and Zamarudsay blocks of the Amu Darya basin in northwest Afghanistan.

Chiyoda has been awarded a maintenance contract by Qatargas covering maintenance of seven LNG production lines in Qatar.

Atlas Copco’s Gas and Process division has won an order to deliver equipment to a turnkey geothermal power plant in Turkey’s Aydin province. The order includes two turbo expander generator trains, which will be able to deliver a total 45 MW of clean energy when the plant goes into operation in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The EU has tightened oil sanctions on Syria after the government started a fresh wave of crack-downs on dissent in the country.

Gulf Keystone has proved the value of the giant Shaikan filed in Northern Iraq after conducting well appraisal tests at its Shaikan-2 well, drilling is also continuing apace at its Shaikan-4 well.

GE has acquired for Converteam, the two companies compliment each other should enhance GE’s existing capabilities as well as helping them break into fast growing regions such as Brazil and Russia where Converteam have already made significant in-roads.

Andrew Buckland and Giles Farrer, Wood Mackenzie, UK, detail the possibilities afforded by the development of the FLNG concept.

Lucy Miller, Douglas Westwood Ltd, UK, describes the changing focus of the LNG market towards the Asia Pacific region.

Royal Dutch Shell is looking to sign a huge deal with Ukraine’s Naftogaz worth US$ 800 million to exploit Ukraine’s shale resources.

Tokyo Gas has signed a Heads of Agreement to supply Saibu Gas Co Ltd with 300,000 tpy of LNG for 16 years, commencing in March 2014.

Chevron has received environmental approval from the Government of Western Australia, clearing the way for work to start on its huge Wheatstone LNG gas export project once it receives federal approval.

Rosneft and ExxonMobil have executed a co-operation agreement which includes a US$ 3.2 billion exploration programme in the Russian Arctic as well as technology sharing and includes an equity swap with ExxonMobil’s US assets.

Gazprom has contracted Tideway to implement an erosion protection scheme around its new Prirazlomnoya rig, Gazprom’s first oil production project in the Russian Arctic Sea Region.

Petrofac’s Offshore Engineering & Operations (OE&O) business has been awarded two North Sea contracts by GDF SUEZ E&P UK. Valued at £30 million over three years with an additional two year option, the contracts were awarded following a competitive tender process.

Nexans wins turnkey contract to supply and install infield power cables for the Riffgat offshore wind farm. The contract for 33 kV submarine power cables to connect wind turbines to the offshore substation includes ancillary equipment and installation.