Exploration

With the drilling of a single well (6-BR-63A-RJS) Petrobras has discovered two new oil accumulations in reservoirs located in the Campos Basin, one in post-salt and the other in a pre-salt region.

Schlumberger Ltd and Smith International, Inc. have announced a definitive merger agreement in which the companies would combine in a stock for stock transaction.

Deloitte, the business advisory firm, has produced its first ranking of UK upstream independent oil companies.

Aminex PLC has announced that the Olympia Minerals-1 well (OM-1) at Shoats Creek was spudded on 17 February 2010 using the Crown Drilling Rig No. 2.

Petrolifera Petroleum Ltd has made significant progress in the remediation programme at the La Pinta 1X well on its Sierra Nevada License in the Lower Magdalena Basin, onshore Colombia.

Europe’s hydrocarbon industry now sits in a precarious position as to the future of its energy supply. Currently Europe is dependant on Middle Eastern and Russian supplies. However, Europe is predicted to become more heavily dependent on external supplies over the next decade.

ExxonMobil has announced that additions to its proved reserves in 2009 totalled 2 billion bbls of oil equivalent, replacing 133% of production.

Novatek, the Russian gas producer plans to send LNG shipments to Asia from its fields on the Yamal peninsula in the Arctic via the Arctic Ocean.

A summary of two environmental issues within the oil industry.

Dana Petroleum has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Dana Petroleum Norway AS, has been awarded interests in nine offshore blocks under six new production licences (PL) by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. announced that the Lucius sidetrack appraisal well, located in Keathley Canyon Block 875 in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, has encountered almost 600 net ft of high quality oil pay with additional gas condensate pay in thick subsalt Pliocene and Miocene sands.

Gazprom will delay the start up of its Shtokman gas field by three years, and plans to export half its output as LNG to Europe.

Two of the latest announcements from Africa.

Chevron Australia Pty Ltd has announced successful drilling in the Greater Gorgon area in the Carnarvon Basin offshore Western Australia. The Yellowglen-1 exploration well is located in the WA-268-P permit area approximately 250 km northwest of Onslow.

A brief overview of two of the latest refining projects