Drilling & production

Halliburton has been awarded a contract by Statoil to provide integrated drilling and well services offshore Norway with options up to eight years in duration with extended scope and activity.

The US oil and natural gas industry is working to help address the nation’s economic challenges according to the API.

FES International, a global provider of fluid transfer systems, has secured a US$ 4 million deal with Total to supply DBSCs to be installed on Total’s new FPSO unit, which is based at the CLOV oilfield, off the West coast of Africa.

Contango Oil & Gas Company announced today that it has committed to invest up to US$ 20 million over the next two years, in a joint venture that will acquire, operate, explore, and develop onshore unconventional shale operated and non-operated oil and natural gas assets.

The Kashagan oilfield is projected to be the second largest in the world after Saudi Arabia’s Ghawwar field; production in the country could reach dizzying heights when the field is properly tapped.

Landlocked Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world, but has vast mineral resources. Ng Weng Hoong analyses growing investments in the country.

The Government of China is planning to amass a 5 million t emergency stockpile of coal. According to the China Economic Herald, the Government has asked top producers, including Shenhua Eenergy, to begin stockpiling to help alleviate bottlenecks that limit the available supply during peak demand seasons.

The amount of South African coal imported by India rose 8% in the year ending March 2011. According to mjunction, an online Indian e-commerce company, Indian imports accounted for about 32% of the coal exported from South Africa.

Shell is to join the Wheatstone LNG facility project and will also acquire stakes in the gas fields that will feed it.

Paul Baruya, IEA Clean Coal Centre, UK, provides a brief overview of the Russian coal industry. This article takes extracts from an original IEA report authored by Geoff Crocker.

Rio Tinto has acquired a majority interest in Riversdale Mining Ltd, delivering control of significant tier one coking coal projects. Rio Tinto’s shareholding in Riversdale passed 50% and may increase further with the takeover offer remaining open until 20 April 2011.

SunPower Corporation has awarded Fluor Corporation the construction contract for the 20 MW Copper Crossing photovoltaic solar power plant in Pinal County, Arizona.

NuStar Logistics, L.P. and TexStar Midstream Services, LP today announced that they have signed a letter of intent to develop a new pipeline system to transport Eagle Ford Shale crude and condensate to Corpus Christi.

BP confirmed today that it has signed four new coalbed methane (CBM) production sharing contracts (PSCs) in the Barito basin of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

UK energy minister Chris Huhne comments on global oil prices during Saudi visit.