Mar 10, 2010 - RWE Dea and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore and develop the Nakhichevan structure in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. In 1997, ExxonMobil signed a contract with SOCAR to explore the prospect, but quit four years ago after failing to find commercial resources. According to government estimates, the prospect is anticipated to hold 300 billion cubic meters of gas and 40 million metric tons of gas condensate. Nakhichevan lies about 56 miles (90 kilometers) south of Baku in the Caspian Sea at a depth of 1,312 to 1,969 feet (400 to 600 meters).

Mar 9, 2010 - Cobalt will use Diamond Offshore's Ocean Monarch semisub to drill its North Platte-1 exploratory well. The rig should be available on or about May 1, 2010, after completing its current drilling operations. Situated in a water depth of 4,843 feet (1,476 meters), the North Platte prospect lies on Garden Banks Blocks 915, 958 and 959 in the Gulf of Mexico. Cobalt is the operator, holding a 60% interest; Total holds the remaining 40% interest.

Mar 9, 2010 - Statoil has increased its working interest to 21.5% in the Chevron-operated deepwater St. Malo project by exercising its preferential rights from a sale of Devon's share in the development. Later this year, the project will be sanctioned along with the nearby Jack field, and the joint development is scheduled to come online in 2014. The St. Malo field is located on Walker Ridge Block 678 in a water depth of 2,100 feet (640 meters).

Mar 9, 2010 - FMC Technologies will manufacture and supply subsea production equipment for the development of the Marulk field. FMC's scope of work includes manufacturing two subsea trees, one manifold, one template, subsea control modules and associated topside controls and connection equipment. Initial delivery of equipment is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2011. Marulk's initial field development consists of two wells subsea tied-back to the Norne FPSO. The satellite field is located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea and is operated by Eni.

Mar 9, 2010 - The A-6 well in Ship Shoal Block 201 in the Gulf of Mexico tested at a restricted rate of 10.4 MMcf/d and 423 bopd. A-6 reached a total depth of 13,341 feet (4,066 meters) encountering 65 feet (20 meters) of true vertical thickness pay in its primary objective. The find is estimated to hold proven reserves of 5.6 MMcf of natural gas and 171 Mbbls of condensate together with net incremental probable reserves of 951 MMcf of natural gas and 29 MMbbls of condensate. The well was drilled from the Ship Shoal 202 A platform, which will allow for rapid commencement of production in 2Q10. Ship Shoal 201 is located 125 miles (201 kilometers) offshore Louisiana in roughly 102 feet (31 meters) of water. Leed Petroleum wholly owns and operates the well.

Mar 9, 2010 - The Steering Committee for the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) development made a US $6 billion final investment decision for the new Chirag oil project (COP). The COP will include a new installation located in the Chirag-Deep Water Gunashli (DWG) area of the ACG field in waters measuring 558 feet (170 meters). The facility is a single production, drilling and living quarters (PDQ) platform that will be integrated with the existing DWG facility by marine pipelines importing reservoir injection water and exporting produced water for disposal. This new development will allow for the recovery of an additional 360 million barrels of oil from the ongoing development of the ACG field. First production is expected in late 2013. The ACG oil field is located in the Caspian Sea, 75 miles (120 kilometers) offshore Azerbaijan. BP serves as the operator of the project.

Mar 9, 2010 - Talisman received approval from PSA to conduct exploratory drilling on well 9/2-11 in the southern North Sea using the Transocean Winner semisub. The well is located in PL 316 DS in a water depth of 100 meters. Drilling is expected to start in March 2010 and will last for roughly 40 days. Talisman Energy is the operator of the production license, holding a 40% interest; Lotos Exploration and Production holds 20%; Bridge Energy holds 20%; Wintershall Norge holds 10%; and Norske holds the remaining 10% interest.

Mar 8, 2010 - Oil production from the Cascade/Chinook development is expected to commence in mid-2010, reiterated Petrobras Chief Executive Jose Sergio Gabrielli. The Chinook FPSO should come online in June or July 2010. The joint development is located in the Gulf of Mexico in waters measuring 8,202 to 8,825 feet (2,500 to 2,690 meters). Petrobras operates the project.

Mar 8, 2010 - A permanent pipeline export route from the West Don field to the Thistle platform and onwards into the Brent Pipeline system for delivery was completed, allowing for production to commence from the sidetrack Area 22 well. Production from the well has performed as expected, reaching initial flow rates equivalent to more than 15,000 bopd. Originally, oil production from the two fields, Don and Don Southwest, was delivered via shuttle tankers loading from a SAL mooring system. While early production commenced, the partners began modifying the platform in late 2008; the final work was completed by the end of February 2010. Re-routed production from West Don commenced on March 5, 2010. Additionally, water injection into the Area 5 well on the Don Southwest field has also commenced. West Don is located on UK Blocks 211/13b and 211/18a in a water depth of 499 feet (152 meters). Petrofac, the operator, owns 28% of the field.

Mar 8, 2010 - Dana announced two gas discoveries were made in the West El Manzala Concession in the Nile Delta, Egypt. The first discovery, El Panseiya-1, encountered 36 feet (11 meters) of net gas pay in the Kafr El Sheikh formation and produced roughly 10 MMcf/d of dry gas. Dana estimates the find holds roughly 8 to 13 Bcf of recoverable reserves. South Faraskour-1, the second discovery, encountered 66 feet (20 meters) of net pay in the Abu Madi formation and 5 feet (1.4 meters) in the Kafr El Sheikh formation. The discovery well tested 16.3 MMcf/d of gas with condensate. The preliminary estimate of recoverable reserves for this find is 27 to 57 Bcf of gas with associated condensate. Both discoveries are planned to be tied-back to the nearby El Wastani gas processing plant by the end of the year.

Mar 8, 2010 - Aker Solutions received a $41 million contract from Petrobras to supply sulphate removal systems with associated equipment. The systems will be installed on the topsides of the P-58 and P-62 FPSOs. The removal units will treat and de-sulphate seawater for injection into the reservoir to maintain pressure, and control scaling and scoring effects in the reservoir. Aker will also provide detailed engineering, procurement, and fabrication of major equipment, commissioning and start-up. Both vessels will have a production capacity of 180,000 bopd; P-58 will operate on the Parque das Baleias (Baleia Azul) field and P-62 will operate in module 4 of the Roncador field offshore Brazil. First oil is scheduled for 2014.

Mar 5, 2010 - Anadarko submitted a DOCD to MMS to further develop the Caesar-Tonga project. Under the DOCD, Anadarko will place four wells on production and install right-of-way and lease term pipelines. The work performed will take place on Green Canyon Blocks 683, 726 and 770. Caesar Tonga is a joint development project that began in early 2007 as a subsea tie-back to the Constitution Spar facility. First oil from the project is targeted for early 2011.

Mar 5, 2010 - Drilling of exploration well 16/4-5 in Block 16/4 in PL 359 was completed. Drilled by the Transocean Winner semisub to a total vertical depth of 6,542 feet (1,994 meters), the well encountered non-reservoir sedimentary rocks in the prognosed reservoir level. Data was gathered, including coring, wireline logging and MDT programs, but the well was plugged and abandoned as a non-commercial well. The well is located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea in waters measuring 341 feet (104 meters). Lundin Petroleum is the operator of PL 359 and holds a 40% working interest; Statoil holds 30%; and Premier Oil Norge AS holds the remaining 30%.

Mar 5, 2010 - OGX found an oil-bearing interval in the Albian section of well 1-OGX-6-RJS in the shallow waters of the southern part of the Campos Basin. Thus far, an oil column of about 230 feet (70 meters) with roughly 125 feet (38 meters) of net pay was encountered in carbonate reservoirs in the Albian section. Drilling is still in progress and the OGX-6 well is expected to reach a final depth of 11,811 feet (3,600 meters) by the Ocean Quest semisub. Data was gathered – more than 164 feet (50 meters) – to analyze characteristics of the reservoir and to help future appraisal and development projects. Core samples and logs indicate a strong correlation between the Albian reservoirs of OGX-6 (Etna), OGX-3 (Waimea) and OGX-2 (Pipeline). The well is located in the BM-C-41 Block, roughly 53 miles (85 kilometers) off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in waters measuring 449 feet (137 meters). OGX wholly owns and operates the block.

Mar 5, 2010 - The Kan Tan IV drilling rig is on location at the Hoki-1 exploratory well and is preparing to commence drilling. Located in PEP 38401 offshore New Zealand in waters measuring 1,083 feet (330 meters), the Hoki-1 well will test both the primary Island Sandstone reservoir and a secondary target in the North Cape formation, targeting a large feature on the outer edge of the basin. Estimated to contain 250MM barrels of recoverable oil, Hoki-1 is the first well to kick off AWE's 2010 drilling campaign in the offshore Taranaki Basin. AWE New Zealand Pty Ltd serves as the operator of the permit, holding a 50% interest.