Exploration

In response to Repsol's comments on the Indonesian gas discovery, Wood Mackenzie's research director, Andrew Harwood, has provided some commentary.

Geologists at the University of Aberdeen have discovered a huge swathe of the North Sea left unexplored for oil and gas because of so-called ‘phantom’ volcanoes they have proven don’t exist.

After years of budget cuts, oil and gas companies are finally stepping up their exploration game. Several wildcat wells planned for 2019 have the potential to be 'elephant' finds, according to Rystad Energy.

Following the announcement by Indonesia's upstream regulator SKK Migas on a gas discovery in Indonesia, Wood Mackenzie's research director Andrew Harwood provides commentary.

The company has announced the completion of the regional multi-client airborne gravity, gravity-gradiometry and magnetics survey covering the transition zone of the Gulf of Papua.

Russia had two natural gas discoveries in the West Siberian basin and an oil discovery in the Okhotsk basin, while Colombia had three conventional oil discoveries, all in the Llanos Orientales basin.

The Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) has awarded one new licence to DEA in its 2018 Bid Round.

The survey will include the highly prospective Castberg area, and cover existing and newly awarded licenses in addition to open acreage with several play models in multiple geological layers.

Following the news of a major gas discovery in South Africa by Total SA, Jonathan Markham, Oil & Gas Analyst at GlobalData, offers his view on the find and the industry in South Africa.

GeoPartners, in partnership with the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone, is pleased to announce a new 2D seismic survey offshore Sierra Leone to support the 4th Offshore Petroleum Licensing Round planned for later this year.

Total plans to follow up the discovery with 3D seismic and wells on up to four more similar prospects on the block, 11B/12B.

Entering into 2019, the global oil and gas industry remains cautiously optimistic as recovering oil prices have boosted companies’ profits and a rebound in new projects is expected.

Driven by its significant investment in Guyana, ExxonMobil is leader of the pack among the top oil and gas explorers of 2018, according to Rystad Energy’s annual exploration review.

"At 250 million boe, CNOOC Ltd’s Glengorm is the largest gas discovery in the UK since Culzean in 2008,” Kevin Swann, a senior analyst with Wood Mackenzie’s North Sea upstream team, said after CNOOC and its partner Total announced the discovery.

Following Glendronach in September 2018, Total announces a new significant discovery in the North Sea offshore UK, on the Glengorm prospect located in the Central Graben.