Offshore SeisNews ©


••• 29.11.12 A third worker has been confirmed dead in the wake of the Black Elk Energy platform fire that has already claimed two lives this month, an official said Wednesday.
The Lafourche Parish coroner's office confirmed to Upstream the death of Jerome Malagapo, 28, of the Philippines, according to chief investigator Mark Goldman.
Oil workers came across the body about three miles off the south Louisiana offshore supply hub of Port Fourchon at about 11:30 am Monday morning, when it was reported to the Coast Guard, Goldman said.
A 100-hour search for the missing Malagapo was called off last week.
The body was then sent to a forensics centre in Jefferson Parish where, in cooperation with the Philippine embassy, dental records were used to make the identification.
The cause of death is still under investigation, Goldman said.
The explosion took place while workers contracted by Grand Isle shipyard were performing a maintenance job at the facility, which lies 20 miles (32 kilometres) offshore in about 21 metres of water on West Delta Block 32.
The identification ups the casualty list for the explosion at the platform, all Philippine guest workers.
The body of Ellroy Corporal, 42, was recovered near the platform shortly after the incident.
Avelino Tajonera, 49, died in a New Orleans hospital early Friday from burn injuries suffered.
Source: Upstream

••• 28.11.12 Wartsila wins integrated solutions contract for new Siem Offshore LNG Platform Supply Vessel.
Wartsila, the marine industry’s leading solutions and services provider, has been contracted to supply an integrated solution comprising ship design services and the power and propulsion system for a newbuild LNG powered Platform Supply Vessel (PSV). The contract has been signed with the Norwegian yard Hellesoy Verft, and this will be the eighth vessel built at Hellesoy to be based on the Wartsila Ship Design VS 485 series. The vessel will be owned and operated by Siem Offshore on a charter contract for TOTAL.
The vessel is of Wartsila VS4411 LNG PSV design and features Wartsila power and propulsion, electrical and automation systems, including a complete four-split Wartsila Low Loss Concept (LLC) solution. This highly redundant electric power distribution system enables energy-efficiency increases of 2 to 4 percent, reduced electrical losses leading to greater fuel economy, while providing additional reliability for continuous operation. It also improves lifecycle performance and the fully-integrated design significantly reduces integration risks. The PSV will also be equipped with the Wartsila LNGPac LNG storage and handling system.
The PSV is scheduled to be operational from 2014 and will serve the Martin Linge oilfield, North-West of Stavanger, Norway. It has been designed to specifically meet TOTAL’s North Sea operational requirements.
Source: Wartsila

••• 28.11.12 SeaBird raises cash to a 3D upgrade Aquila Explorer vessel.
SeaBird Exploration Plc has announced the successful completion of a Private Placement of 11,000,000 new shares directed towards Norwegian and international institutional investors after the close of the Oslo Stock Exchange on 27 November 2012.
The over-subscribed placement was made at a subscription price of NOK 7.50 per share. Total gross proceeds from the Private Placement are NOK 82.5 million.
The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for investments in seismic equipment including a 3D upgrade of Aquila Explorer as well as to strengthen the Company’s balance sheet and liquidity position.
Following the registration of the new shares, the Company will have 42,425,972 shares outstanding.
Source: SeaBird

••• 28.11.12 A large LNG carrier Ob River is set to become the first ship of its type to sail across the Arctic.
The ship left Norway in November and has sailed north of Russia on its way to Japan. The specially equipped tanker is due to arrive in early December and will shave 20 days off the journey. The owners say that changing climate conditions and a volatile gas market make the Arctic transit profitable.
Built in 2007 with a strengthened hull, the Ob River can carry up to 150,000 cubic metres of gas. The tanker was loaded with LNG at Hammerfest in the north of Norway on 7 November and set sail across the Barents Sea. It has been accompanied by a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker for much of its voyage. The ship, with an international crew of 40, has been chartered from its Greek owners Dynagas by the Russian Gazprom energy giant. It says it has been preparing for the trip for over a year.
"It's an extraordinarily interesting adventure," Tony Lauritzen, commercial director at Dynagas, told BBC News. "The people on board have been seeing polar bears on the route. We've had the plans for a long time and everything has gone well." Mr Lauritzen says that a key factor in the decision to use the northern route was the recent scientific record on melting in the Arctic. "We have studied lots of observation data - there is an observable trend that the ice conditions are becoming more and more favourable for transiting this route. You are able to reach a highly profitable market by saving 40% of the distance, that's 40% less fuel used as well."
But melting ice is not the only factor. A major element is the emergence of shale gas in the US.
The Norwegian LNG plant at Hammerfest was developed with exports to the US in mind. But the rapid uptake of shale in America has curbed the demand for imported gas.
Meanwhile in Japan, in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, there has been a growing interest in alternative power sources, especially gas. "The major point about gas is that it now goes east and not west," says Gunnar Sander, senior adviser at the Norwegian Polar Institute and an expert on how climate change impacts economic activity in the Arctic. "The shale gas revolution has turned the market upside down; that plus the rapid melting of the polar ice." He stresses that the changes in climate are less important than the growing demand for oil and gas. "The major driver is the export of resources from the Arctic region, not the fact that you can transit across the Arctic sea."
There is an expectation that because of changing climactic conditions, sea traffic across the northern sea route will increase rapidly. 2012 has been a record year both for the length of the sailing season and also for the amount of cargo that has been shipped.
But Gunnar Sander says there are limits to the growth and some perspective is required. "Nineteen thousand ships went through the Suez canal last year; around 40 went through the northern sea route. There's a huge difference."
Source: Maritime-Connector

••• 28.11.12 UTEC, SBM Offshore sign deal.
Offshore survey company UTEC announced the award of a multi-year framework agreement with SBM Offshore (Monaco) to provide offshore survey and positioning services carrying its construction vessel fleet, initially covering operations on-board the OCV Normand Installer and the new-build DSCV SBM Installer.
The services contract will be managed though UTEC’s Italian office in Naples. "We are extremely pleased with the faith SBM Offshore has placed in us to provide a wide range of survey services on its construction fleet," said Carlo Pinto, regional sales manager. "We look forward to providing global support to the new SBM Installer from early in 2013".
UTEC provides a wide range of survey services including offshore positioning and construction support, geophysical and AUV surveys, dimensional control surveys, laser scanning and modeling, and geotechnical sampling. UTEC has offices located around the world including: Houston, Aberdeen, Rio de Janeiro, Calgary, Perth, Singapore, St. John’s, Naples and Dubai.
Source: UTEC

••• 27.11.12 TGS commences extension to Offshore Angola 3D Multi-client Survey.
TGS has commenced an extension to the offshore Angola 3D multi-client survey. The extension, covering 4,064 km2 over blocks 36 and 37, will add to the original survey of 12,500 km2 which has completed acquisition.
"We are very pleased to continue our relationship with Sonangol and to support oil and gas exploration in the Republic of Angola," commented Stein Ove Isaksen, Senior VP Eastern Hemisphere for TGS. "Angola’s conjugate margin pre-salt basins, similar to hydrocarbon rich basins offshore Brazil, provide exciting new opportunities in petroleum exploration."
The seismic data is being acquired by the M/V Geco Eagle. Data processing will be performed by TGS and preliminary data will be available to clients from Q4 2013.
The survey is supported by industry funding.
Source: TGS

••• 27.11.12 Australia to overtake Qatar as global LNG leader.
LNG has been embraced as a commercially attractive and eco-friendly fossil fuel, and the global industry is set to see the emergence of new gas giants, with Australia competing against traditional LNG exporters such as Qatar, states new research by energy experts GBI Research.
The report states that natural gas has experienced growing demand worldwide, having earned a reputation as a clean, safe and cheap source of energy, which is cost-efficient to transport as LNG and available in abundant reserves.
The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry of Australia is currently the most promising market in the world, and is expected to attain market dominance in the next five years. Recent offshore discoveries have found a huge abundance of reserves in the country, and the Australian government is providing strong support to the industry, in the form of encouraging regulatory structure and initiatives. Asia-Pacific acts as a big customer for LNG imports, fuelled by the region’s growing economies, and neighboring Australia is ideally positioned to become an LNG export hub meeting this need.
In contrast, Qatar is currently the world’s largest LNG exporter, but risks stagnation, as the country shows no plans for capacity additions in the near future.
Qatar boasted a liquefaction capacity of 77.5 million tons in 2011, but this doesn’t look to change significantly, whereas Australia’s modest liquefaction capacity of 20 million tons in 2011 is expected to reach 124 million tons by 2017.
Source: Scandoil

••• 26.11.12 ISS supports key marine seismic survey project in Greece.
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), the world’s leading maritime services provider, has been appointed by Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) to support a key marine seismic survey project in Greece.
Under the three month research project, ISS Greece will provide marine services to the survey vessel Nordic Explorer and two smaller support vessels as they work along the western Greek coast from Patras Port. The national project has been commissioned by the Greek government to try and seek out important new reserves of natural gas.
George Andreakos (ISS Greece and Mednet Operations Manager) is leading the operational team to assist the project in close co-operation with the ISS Offshore Solutions team, headed by Dan Whysall. This is the third contract awarded by PGS to ISS Greece and follows previous surveys in Cyprus.
Source: WorldMaritimeNews

••• 26.11.12 Worker dies of burns from U.S. Gulf Platform Fire.
Avelino Tajonera, one of the four Filipino workers that were injured in the oil platform explosion off the coast of Louisiana a week ago, died in hospital on Friday.
Tajonera, 49, a welder from Dinalupihan, Bataan, died as a result of complications from major burn injuries he sustained in the incident which occurred on board the Black Elk Energy’s oil platform located at West Delta 32 Block, in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico approximately 17 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La.
Tajonera’s death brings to two the number of fatalities in the November 16 explosion and fire that also left three other Filipinos seriously injured and one missing. Ellroy Corporal, 42, died in the incident while Jerome Malagapo, 28, has still not been found. There were 22 workers on the platform at the time of the incident.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has notified Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC (Black Elk) that the company must take immediate steps to improve its safety performance on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
"Black Elk has repeatedly failed to operate in a manner that is consistent with federal regulations," said BSEE Director James A. Watson.
The oil company is facing enforcement actions, which can include potential revocation of its designation as an operator on all its facilities on the OCS, if the company does not demonstrate improved performance.
Source: OffshoreEnergyToday

••• 25.11.12 North Sea Rig down-manned after "gas leak".
The alarm was raised on the TAQA Bratani North Cormorant platform - 310 miles North East of Aberdeen - just after 5.15am on Sunday morning.
Almost a hundred offshore workers have been evacuated following a suspected gas leak on a North Sea platform.
The alarm was raised on the TAQA Bratani North Cormorant platform - 310 miles North East of Aberdeen - just after 5.15am on Sunday morning.
The rig has been shut down and depressurised and the situation is said to be "under control".
A TAQA spokesman confirmed to Northsound, as a precautionary measure, 92 non-essential crew were transferred from the rig by helicopter to nearby TAQA installations, 38 of those have since been returned to shore.
110 essential personnel are understood to have remained on the North Cormorant - all are safe and well.
The exact cause of the incident is not yet known.
Source: Northsound 1

••• 23.11.12 Spectrum ASA commences Potigar 2D Multi-Client Survey in Brazil.
The acquisition of the Phase II of the 2D campaign over the Foz do Amazonas basin in Brazil was completed this week, totaling 6,729 line kilometers.
Now Spectrum moves east to the Potigar Basin for another extension of the Equatorial Margin coverage ahead of Brazil's upcoming 11th license round.
The seismic vessel will mobilize for the program and start up by end November for a 4,000 km survey on a 10x10km grid in 500-4000m water depth. The Potigar survey is supported by industry funding and will be completed in the fourth quarter 2012, following which Spectrum will have collected approximately 45,000 km of new long offset data over this highly prospective equatorial margin.
Richie Miller, EVP Multi-Client North & South America, comments: "Due to the high efficiency of the acquisition achieved on the previous surveys in these waters, we have time and are in a position to respond to industry interest for the Potigar basin and acquire the final area that is expected to be included for round 11. The Potigar survey is a natural extension from the Northern Margins survey that was acquired earlier in 2012. With this survey, Spectrum will have full coverage over all offshore sector blocks that are expected to be included in license round 11."
The seismic data is being acquired by the Seabird vessel Hawk Explorer and the data will be processed at Spectrum's processing center in Houston, with the final products scheduled for delivery in April 2013.
Source: Spectrum

••• 23.11.12 SeaBird contract extension.
SeaBird Exploration Plc announced that the Hawk Explorer has been extended by Spectrum ASA for an estimated 45 days and will work under the new Framework Agreement.
Source: SeaBird

••• 23.11.12 Petrofay's platform evacuated following suspected outbreak of norvirus.
Following a suspected outbreak of the norovirus, platform workers have been evacuated from a North Sea platform Heather Alpha.
Three personnel on the Heather Alpha installation, 100 miles North east of the Shetland Islands, have been placed in quarantine and isolated on the installation as a precautionary measure.
The platform is operated on behalf of EnQuest by Aberdeen-based oil service company Petrofac.
A Petrofac spokeswoman said: "Petrofac as duty holder of the Heather installation on behalf of EnQuest can confirm that there are currently three suspected cases of norovirus, the winter vomiting virus, on the installation. Personnel who have contracted the virus have all been provided with medical support as required and quarantined in designated cabins, in line with company procedures. All reasonable steps have been taken to contain the spread of the virus and support and guidance is being provided by onshore doctors and occupational health professionals including NHS Grampian’s Health Protection Team."
She added: "As an additional precautionary measure we are reducing the number of non-essential personnel on the installation to limit further spread of the virus."
She declined to comment on the number of personnel being evacuated from the platform.
Earlier this month Abermed, the Aberdeen-based occupational health service, warned of the potential spread of the bug to offshore installations following an outbreak of norovirus at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
A company spokeswoman said: "We have been advised that Grampian is currently affected by an outbreak of norovirus. Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has seen a recent influx of cases which are now adversely affecting hospital staff. In line with previous local outbreaks we expect to see this pattern reflected in the offshore community within a matter of days. Noroviris is highly contagious. Outbreaks spread easily and quickly. Everyone needs to take basic precautions to reduce the chance that they become infected and to reduce the chance of passing the illness on to others."
Source: Maritime-Connector

••• 22.11.12 MSI provides Real-Time Current Measurement Systems to support seismic operations.
Metocean Services International (MSI) recently completed a real-time current measurement programme for CGG Veritas to support seismic operations offshore Ivory Coast. The system was installed on the support vessel Tanux-1, and provided real-time current profile data both on the Tanux-1, as well as via radio to the seismic vessel Vanquish.
The system comprised a TRDI 300kHz ADCP, cabled to a PC running TRDI’s VMDas software. The software controlled the operation of the ADCP, as well as displayed the data in real-time on the Tanux-1. A Hemisphere GPS provided positioning and navigation data to the VMDas software so that the vessel motion was removed from the measurements.
Data was then automatically exported to a text file, which was transmitted via Satel radio modem to the Vanquish. There it was captured by a Campbell Scientific datalogger and displayed using LoggerNet software configured as per the client’s requirements.
Speaking on behalf of CGGVeritas, Donnie Struckhoff commented as follows: "This was the first time CGGVeritas had worked with Metocean Services International and we are very pleased with services provided. Good preparation work by their engineering team allowed for the equipment to be installed within 24hrs. A field service engineer followed the system offshore for a short time, making adjustments for optimal performance of the equipment and provided training to our crews on the operation of the system. The system was in-use for approximately 110 days with no problems reported. The data gathered was used to model the effects of localized currents on the towed seismic array."
Source: MSI

••• 21.11.12 PGS signs 10 year agreement for MultiClient surveys offshore Namibia.
Petroleum Geo-Services ASA has signed an agreement with the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia Limited (NAMCOR), with the full support of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, for the acquisition of both 2D and 3D MultiClient seismic offshore Namibia.
Under the 10 year agreement, PGS will begin its operations with the acquisition of a large 2D regional survey during Q1 2013 over the open deep-water blocks. These blocks will form the basis of a future Licensing Round and the PGS survey will be the primary technical dataset for that Round. PGS will be utilising the latest GeoStreamer® dual sensor technology on this survey, which runs the entire length of the Namibian offshore, from the Angolan border in the north to the South African border in the south.
The agreement also provides PGS with the rights to acquire 3D MultiClient surveys.
"PGS is excited to be bringing GeoStreamer technology into Namibia and we very much look forward to working with the Ministry and NAMCOR to maximise the full exploration potential offshore Namibia" said Mike Johnson, VP Business Development, Africa & Middle East MultiClient. "GeoStreamer offers clear and proven operational advantages, and dual sensor technology will provide explorationists with the clearest ever 2D and 3D imaging of the subtle stratigraphic traps that are key to unlocking Namibia's full offshore hydrocarbon potential".
Source: PGS

••• 21.11.12 Grants for joint Arctic research.
NOK 11,5 million (app €1,5 million) have been granted to three joint Norwegian-Russian projects on polar and petroleum research. Three new research projects will give us new knowledge on the Arctic and strengthen Norway’s and Russia’s common knowledge base on the area.
The three projects that have received grants are "4DARCTIC: Structure and evolution of Arctic crust and mantle based on multi-scale Geophysical studies", which is a joint project between the University of Oslo and the Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics; "CLIMate variability and change in the Eurasian ARCtic in the 21st century", a cooperation project between the Nansen Center and Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory; "Combined effects of Petroleum and the Environment in bivalves from the Norwegian-Russian Arctic", a joint project between the University of Tromso and the Karelian Research Centre, RAS Institute of Biology.
All the three projects are cooperation projects between scientists in Norway and Russia. The project partners are covering half of the expenses, the rest is covered by the Russian research foundation Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) and the Research Council of Norway is covering the Norwegian part.
"This research cooperation will give an important contribution to a holistic management of the sea and the resources in Arctic areas through a common knowledge base", says the Research Council of Norway’s Director Arvid Hallen.
Source: BarentsObserver

••• 20.11.12 Spectrum extends its MC3D coverage offshore Lebanon.
Spectrum ASA announced the start of Phase II of its Multi-Client 3D survey in the Levantine Basin offshore Lebanon.
The survey is carried out in cooperation with Fugro and the vessel will acquire the data using 8 streamers.
The survey is adjacent to Phase I and is to comprise 1,200 square kilometers. The acquisition is scheduled to finish in December, and a fast-track product is planned to be available for delivery to clients by end January 2013, with final product availability mid April 2013.
Source: Spectrum

••• 19.11.12 Black Elk Recovers Body of Crew Member. One Still Missing (USA).
Black Elk has recovered a body of one of the two workers who went missing after an explosion hit the company’s platform located at West Delta 32 Block, in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico approximately 17 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La.
"We recovered one of the missing workers and the U.S. Coast Guard transported the individual to its station in Grand Isle, La. The local fire chief and ambulance service received the body around11:45 pm. The body was taken to the coroner’s office in Jefferson Parish," said the company in a statement issued November 18.
The company is now expanding and enhancing its efforts to locate a worker who is still missing. Black Elk hired a second and third commercial dive boat and initiated a beach search with Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Department.
"We have also contacted all helicopter companies that fly in the area to help visual search efforts. We remain focused on the victims and their families, including those injured in the incident. An official investigation has begun to examine the facts surrounding this incident, and we will continue to cooperate with all authorities as this process develops," Black Elk added.
Source: OffshoreEnergyToday

••• 19.11.12 3D seismic programme commenced in Block C19 offshore Mauritania.
Chariot Oil & Gas Limited the independent Africa focused oil and gas exploration company announced that it has commenced its 3D seismic survey in Block C19 offshore Mauritania, which was acquired in April 2012 (90% working interest and operatorship).
The Company has contracted Fugro-Geoteam AS to carry out a 3,500km2 programme in water depths ranging from 30m up to 2,000m. The programme is anticipated to take 90 days to complete.
This 3D seismic survey fulfills Chariot’s initial three year work commitment within Block C19 and is intended to identify structural and stratigraphic traps, with the latter in particular offering potential for large trap sizes. Once acquired and processed the survey will be interpreted to define drillable prospects. The Company will report its results after this process has been completed.
Paul Welch, CEO of Chariot, commented: "We are very pleased to be able to commence this seismic operation so soon after acquiring the licence. This is largely due to the support provided by the Ministries of Environment, Fisheries and Energy and it is this spirit of cooperation that makes Mauritania such a great country in which to conduct our business."
Source: Oilnews

••• 19.11.12 Airbus teams up with Chinese firm to make green fuel.
Airbus has signed a deal with Chinese biofuel producer ENN to jointly explore an alternative fuel for the aviation industry.
Airbus, with its parent company EADS Innovation Works, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ENN, one of the leading biofuel producers in China, to develop the fuel made from algae oil.
The deal was struck at the ongoing 9th China International Air Show in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.
Algae oil, extracted, processed and refined from certain species of algae, is regarded as one of the most promising ways for the production of biofuels in the aviation industry.
According to the MOU, a test flight with the biofuel is scheduled for 2013 in China, after a Sino-US feasibility study of the biofuel is concluded.
The partners also agreed to assess the environmental, economical and social impact of the biofuel for aviation use, and promote its marketing in China.
The ENN company, which owns microalgae oil making equipment, can make more than 10 tonnes of the product annually. Starting from 2013, it will enhance its capability to meet the demand of biofuel-based flights.
Source: Xinhua

••• 16.11.12 Update: Explosion Erupts on Gulf of Mexico Platform.
A fire occurred on an offshore oil and natural gas platform in West Delta Block 32 in the Gulf of Mexico Friday injuring several people, reported Houston's KHOU TV, citing the U.S. Coast Guard. The fire has been extinguished.
According to the news station, four people were airlifted to a nearby hospital and were in critical condition. Two more people are said to be missing following the tragedy on the platform - operated by Houston-based and privately-owned Black Elk Energy Co.
Black Elk did not respond to requests for comment.
The Coast Guard has reported that production was not flowing from the well and at least 26 to 28 people had been aboard the platform. The workers were cutting into a line on the platform when sparks from a torch hit a storage tank, which then exploded, resulting in a two-by-a-quarter mile oil sheen around the site. The platform is located around 17 miles offshore Grand Isle, Louisiana in 21 feet of water.
The Coast Guard has activated a "command center" to investigate the incident, consisting of two helicopter teams, one from Mobile, Alabama and one from New Orleans to help with the search, reported KHOU. The government agency also called in two small boat stations out of Grand Isle and Venice to assist.
Black Elk hasn't filed a recent work permit or exploration plan for that block. The most recent plan filed for the block WD 32 was Aug. 30, 2010 for Maritech to remove platform Caisson 3.
Source: Rigzone

••• 16.11.12 Veripos extends offshore positioning contract with SeaBird.
Veripos has won a two-year extension to an existing contract with seismic survey specialists SeaBird Exploration FZ-LLC of Dubai.
The contract covers continuing supply of satellite positioning services aboard two SeaBird Exploration dual-propulsion seismic vessels operating in Asia/Pacific regions, Aquila Explorer and Voyager Explorer.
The services include Veripos’s Apex2 precise point positioning facility using both GPS and Glonass networks together with Verify QC software for delivery of real-time position and quality control.
Proprietary hardware upgraded aboard both vessels includes new heading units in addition to LD4 HDT integrated mobile receivers for calculating differing positional solutions as well as GNSS headings.
Source: Maritimetoday

••• 16.11.12 Russia’s Zarubezhneft days from spudding Cuban Offshore well.
Songa Offshore, the Cyprus-headquartered owner of offshore drilling rigs, announced that its Songa Mercur rig is not far from spudding its first well offshore Cuba.
The company announced in its fleet status report that the rig has set sail from Trinidad to Cuba during the first week of November. Upon arrival to the Caribbean country’s waters, the rig will start its contract with the Russian oil company, Zarubezhneft.
Zarubezhneft in 2009 signed production sharing contracts with the communist country’s oil company Cubapetroleo for two offshore blocks located in the Cuban sector of the Gulf of Mexico. In the upcoming exploration campaign the company hopes to unlock hydrocarbons hidden in Cuba’s offshore Block L.
Cuba estimates that its offshore fields hold approximately 20 billion barrels of oil, which could, once unlocked, provide a major boost to its economy.
To remind, in the past couple of months, separate exploration efforts in the Cuban waters, made by Spanish Repsol, Gazprom and Petronas consortium and Venezuela’s PDVSA, were unsuccessful. They all used the Scarabeo 9 rig owned and operated by Saipem. It has been reported that the rig will now move on a new contract to West Africa. Saipem wouldn’t comment on the matter.
Russia’s Zarubezhneft will hope to have a better luck with the Songa Mercur semi-submersible, with drilling expected to start by the end of November.
Source: OffshoreEnergyToday

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]