Offshore SeisNews©


••• 22.02.21 Coast Guard: Shell’s Kulluk allowed to leave Kiliuda Bay (USA).
The U.S. Coast Guard lifted the order restricting the movement of the Conical Drilling Unit Kulluk from Kiliuda Bay Thursday.
"I reviewed all of the relevant and available information and determined that Shell has met the requirements of the Captain of the Port Order," said Capt. Paul Mehler III, commander Coast Guard Sector Anchorage and Captain of the Port, Western Alaska. "We will monitor the movement of the Kulluk to Dutch Harbor and will engage if needed."
Mehler signed the order directing the Kulluk to remain at anchor in Kiliuda Bay on Jan. 7, 2013 after a determination was made that the vessel posed a potential threat to personnel safety and the environment after it ran aground near Sitkalidak Island and was refloated.
In preparation for lifting the Captain of the Port order, written notification was provided from the vessel’s Flag State and/or Class Society that the Kulluk was safe to proceed to its port of destination, and Coast Guard personnel were provided an opportunity to review the final written tow plan for Kulluk’s departure from Kiliuda Bay.
Source: Offshore Energy Today

••• 22.02.21 Abandoned cruise ship Lyubov Orlova located 2,400 km from Ireland.
According to a US intelligence agency a cruise ship Lyubov Orlova abandoned and adrift in the North Atlantic has been located about 2,400 kilometers off the west coast of Ireland.
With no crew or warning lights, the ship Lyubov Orlova has been adrift for two months and maritime authorities had been uncertain of its precise location. According to a document from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency obtained by AFP, the Lyubov Orlova has been spotted at the coordinates 49-22.70N and 044-51.34W, or roughly 1,300 nautical miles from the Irish coast.
The details were listed in a "Daily Memorandum Atlantic Edition," a maritime update put out by the intelligence agency, which analyzes satellite imagery and creates detailed maps for the US government.
Source: Maritime-connector

••• 22.02.21 ION expands South American 2D Data Library with Acquisition of UruguaySPAN.
ION Geophysical Corporation announced that it has successfully acquired 2,800 km of high-quality, depth-imaged seismic data within the Punta del Este Basin offshore Uruguay. Known as UruguaySPAN, this latest addition to ION's global BasinSPAN seismic data library will provide E&P companies with the first deep, geologically-driven image of the province, enabling them to more effectively assess Uruguay's offshore hydrocarbon potential, identify new opportunities, and mitigate exploration risk.
UruguaySPAN links with ION's existing ArgentineSPAN and BrasilSPAN surveys, imaging the northern Argentine and southern Brazilian basins, to provide the first true regional framework of the Punta del Este basin.
Doug Allinson, Vice President, Latin America for ION's GeoVentures division, commented, "We are pleased to have acquired this survey in conjunction with the Administracion Nacional de Combustibles, Alcoholes y Portland (ANCAP), Uruguay's national agency responsible for hydrocarbon development. South America is a highly prospective region for oil and gas companies, and the Southern Atlantic margin is one of the Southern Hemisphere's most under-explored areas. The survey will provide operators a better understanding of the petroleum system development offshore Uruguay, which is currently experiencing considerable exploration activity."
Data is being processed using the latest technologies by ION's GX Technology data processing group and will be available to ION clients in second quarter 2013.
Source: ION Geophysical

••• 21.02.21 Lyubov Orlova cruise ship adrift in the Atlantic.
The Lyubov Orlova cruise ship adrift in the Atlantic after a failed bid to tow it to a scrapyard.
The 100-metre-long rusting vessel, named after a Russian movie star from the 1930s, is floating free in international waters off Canada after two towing accidents. It has no crew or warning lights.
The 1976-built ship left Canadian shores on January 23 to be towed to a scrapyard in the Dominican Republic. But the cable snapped a day later leaving it stranded in international waters.
It was then secured by the Atlantic Hawk, a supply vessel in the offshore oil industry, which managed to take the ship under tow again but it drifted off again.
Experts say it could be drifting towards Ireland.
Canada's transport authority has said the ship - abandoned for two years - was no longer its concern having left the country's waters but underscored that the owner was responsible for its movements.
"The vessel has drifted into international waters, and given current patterns and predominant winds, it is very unlikely that the vessel will re-enter waters under Canadian jurisdiction," Transport Canada said in a statement.
It said the authority had decided not to pursue the vessel as the operation could pose a safety risk to Canadian sailors in choppy waters.
According to Canadian media reports the owner is Reza Shoeybi. He told Canada's public broadcaster CBC that he is hoping the derelict vessel will be safely snagged by another ship as it gets close to Europe.
"I'm trying my best. I'm talking to a few people in Ireland - salvage companies - perhaps to partner up with them and retrieve her," Shoeybi told CBC News.
The ship has repeatedly made headlines for the wrong reasons. Canadian firm Cruise North Expeditions wanted to charter the ship for summer cruises in the Arctic but due to a financial dispute with the ship owners, the Lyubov Orlova was seized when it arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland, in September, 2010.
The ship was tied up at the harbour in St. John's for more than two years before being sold in February 2012 to be broken up.
Source: GlobalPost

••• 21.02.21 Reservoir Exploration Technology ASA (RXT): Amendment of contract.
Reference is made to notification of 19 March 2012, in which RXT announced that the company had been awarded a contract for an ocean bottom cable survey off the west coast of Ireland.
For operational reasons, the survey was to be acquired in two parts. The client was a major international oil company.
RXT has now signed an agreement with its client to amend the original contract.
Part two of the survey is estimated to be completed in June 2013.
Source: RXT

••• 20.02.21 CGG acquires new Multi-Client BroadSeis Seismic Program in Central North Sea.
CGG has commenced acquisition of a new, highly pre-funded 3D multi-client program in the Central North Sea (CNS) using BroadSeisTM, its broadband marine solution, with BroadSourceTM, its broadband source option, to deliver superior imaging for enhanced interpretation.
Quad 30 Phase 7 of CGG’s Cornerstone CNS dataset covers over 5,500 km2 in the Q29, 30 and 38 areas and is being acquired by the CGG Oceanic Phoenix operating with a 10 x 100 x 6000 m long-offset streamer configuration. A number of major oil companies have pre-committed to the project and a fast-track data delivery will be available from September 2013.
Based on previous surveys in the region, BroadSeis enables imaging of the thinner and more complex reservoirs from the deep Carboniferous-Permian section through the Jurassic and up to the shallower Paleogene targets and is a key solution for unlocking bypassed hydrocarbons in the Southern Central Graben.
Luc Schlumberger, Executive Vice President, Multi-Client & New Ventures, CGG, said: "Our Quad 30 Phase 7 program will build on our benchmark Cornerstone CNS dataset, bringing it to approximately 35,000 km2. The additional advantage of our BroadSeis and BroadSource technology will enable improved imaging and understanding of an area which is now the focus of strong interest since the last UK licensing round."
Source: CGG

••• 19.02.21 Research Ship launched in Turkey.
A research vessel TUBITAK Marmara was launched in Turkey on Sunday, February 17. The launching ceremony was held at Tuzla Shipyard.
The TUBITAK Marmara is the first vessel of its kind built in Turkey. It will be used for scientific as well as for oil & gas exploration. The 41.2 meters long and 9.5 meters wide ship will become operational in May after all the necessary equipment is fitted on board.
After commissioning, the research ship will be used in the seas around Turkey, primarily in the Turkish Straits, to study marine pollution, to research on marine biology, to explore underwater oil fields, to monitor underwater faults and underwater pipelines as well as to give support in case of marine incidents and disasters. It will be capable of carrying out those studies in a depth of up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft).
Turkey’s booming economy has increased the country’s oil consumption, and has urged the authorities to work on unlocking its own energy resources. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Turkey imports almost all of its oil supplies. Energy use in Turkey is expected to double over the next decade, according to International Energy Agency.
In order to help the country meet its energy demand, Turkish TPAO recently acquired a state of the art seismic vessel, Polarcus Samur, which will search for oil in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
Also,TPAO last week signed an offshore exploration deal with Shell under which the Anglo/Dutch giant will drill at least one well in the Turkish sector of the Black Sea, which could hold between 7 and 10 billion barrels of oil.
Source: Offshore Energy Today

••• 19.02.21 China Shipyard Upgrades Ready to Build Titanic ll.
CSC Jinling Shipyard Co Ltd in Nanjing is to build a replica for Blue Star Line of the liner that notoriously sank in 1912.
The project, which will take the state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard Co Ltd in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, three years to complete, is financed by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, China Daily reported.
Plans call for the Titanic II to make its maiden voyage from England to the United States in 2016 with 900 crew members and 2,400 passengers, following the trans-Atlantic track of the original Titanic.
The formal construction contract has not yet been signed between the shipyard and Blue Star Line, a wholly owned subsidiary of Palmer's mining company, but it is intended that the 270-meter-long and 53-meter-high liner will have nine floors and 840 rooms, and be equipped with deluxe cabins, gymnasiums, swimming pools and libraries.
Leading shipyards and ship-design companies, including Finland's Deltamarin, have been invited to join the construction work of Titanic II, according to a Jinling Shipyard spokesperson. The liner will be equipped with advanced technologies, including the latest life-saving and communications systems, to meet the requirements of modern navigation.
The original Titanic sank off Newfoundland after hitting an iceberg April 15, 1912, on its maiden voyage, killing 1,523 people.
Source: MarineLink

••• 19.02.21 Polarcus makes crew arrangements for Turkish seismic 3D vessel.
Polarcus has agreed to an offshore crewing contract with V. Ships Turkey for the eight-streamer 3D seismic acquisition vessel Polarcus SAMUR.
Recently Polarcus sold the vessel to Turkish Petroleum Corp. (TPAO). It will be renamed Barbaros Hayreddin Pasa after the Ottoman admiral, with Polarcus providing technical and crew management services to TPAO under a three-year contract.
V. Ships will support Polarcus by supplying experienced Turkish maritime crew to meet the flag requirements of the Turkish International Ship Registry, under which the vessel will be flagged.
Harun Duzgoren, managing director of V. Ships Turkey, said: "This is our fourth back-to-back offshore marine services contract in the last three years… The vast majority of our crew have been with us in other similar projects in the Black Sea and other parts of the world as well, so we are confident that they will integrate quickly with the Polarcus crew onboard."
Source: Offshore-mag

••• 19.02.21 Russian Sevmorgeo introduces FairfieldNodal Z700 system to South America.
Russian company expands into Ecuador with purchase of 1100 nodes. Sevmorgeo Joint Stock Company has purchased a Z700 marine system, which includes 1100 multicomponent nodes from FairfieldNodal for two shallow-water projects in Ecuador. The surveys are scheduled to commence on 14th February 2013 and last until 15th June 2013, with work on pre-mobilisation underway. The contract marks the first time FairfieldNodal marine nodes will be used in South America and the first time the St. Petersberg-based company will explore beyond the borders of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The two companies signed the contract at the November SEG conference in Las Vegas. FairfieldNodal will deliver the Z700 nodes for separate 2D and 3D projects.
This isn't the first time these two have worked together. "Sevmorgeo used Z700 marine nodes recently in the Caspian Sea," FairfieldNodal VP Systems Division Manager Steve Mitchell said. "They told us they had obtained the best data they had ever recorded."
Sevmorgeo CEO Mikhail Shkatov concurred. "The Z700 is simple to deploy and monitor, even in active or congested waters, and the quality of the data is excellent," he said. "So it just makes perfect sense for us as we expand our operations to Ecuador."
Privately held FairfieldNodal is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, and offers a full spectrum of true cable-free nodal seismic products and services, from systems design, manufacturing and sales to acquisition, processing and multi-client licensing.
Established in 1991, Sevmorgeo JSC is an oil and gas research and production company based in St. Petersberg, Russia. The 200-employee company is active in the Barents, Kara and Caspian Seas, and the polar oceans.
Source: FairfieldNodal

••• 19.02.21 Hotchya Marine Design will design a unique vessel for fish stock assessment research.
Russian company Hotchya Marine Design signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade for the development of the initial design requirements and the conceptual design of Mezhdunarodny, a large research vessel intended for fish stock assessment research in the global ocean.
In accordance with the design requirement, the research vessel will have 12-15 laboratories with the total area of about 250 m2 aboard. A fish hold with the capacity of at least 500 m3 will be provided (maintaining the temperature of -28С to -30С), as well as deep freezers with the capacity of at least 15 tons per day.
To ensure efficient solution of the research tasks, the vessel will have a DYNPOS-1 dynamic positioning system to maintain the vessel's position during the research operations. The vessel speed at full-load displacement and the rated power of the main propulsion unit will be 15 knots while free-running, and 6 knots while trawling.
The vessel's navigable properties and equipment will ensure research operations at sea state 5 and force 6 wind, towing of geophysical equipment at sea state 6 and force 7 wind. The research vessel will operate in the unlimited area.
There are about 60 crew and science team members.
There will be cranes, as well as trawl, ocean, and hydrobiology survey winches on the decks.
The project will follow the "Conceptual Marine Equipment Designs" ("New Look") line within the framework of the "Civil marine facilities development for 2009-2016" federal special-purpose program.
Source: Hotchya Engineering

••• 18.02.21 PKN ORLEN to start drilling on the Baltic Sea.
Balin Energy SIA, a vehicle co-owned by PKN ORLEN - ORLEN International Exploration and Production Company B.V and Kuwait Energy Company Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., is planning to drill its first vertical well in the Northern Block of Latvia's economic zone.
Having interpreted and integrated the collected data and having analysed an archive of geological, seismic and geochemical data, as well as the additional 300 square kilometres of 3D seismic data acquired in 2010, the partners in Balin were able to pinpoint the location of the first vertical exploration well. Drilling is scheduled to start in the second quarter of this year, and its aim is to confirm oil accumulations in the licence area.
The contractor to perform the drilling is Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (Diamond Offshore), a global leader in offshore projects. The contracted semi-submersible rig dubbed Ocean Noamad is going to be mounted within the area of exploration licence No 1/2009 (North Black - Northern Block). Jack-up rigs could not be used in this area due to the depth of water, reaching 132 metres. The vertical well is planned to be drilled to the depth of 1,500 metres below sea level. The project is being executed in cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development. The drilling work is to be supervised by Senergy, a global energy supplier.
Balin SIA holds two licences, under which it conducts oil exploration activities on the Baltic Sea. All work is performed in compliance with the applicable Latvian and European laws as well as the highest international standards.
Source: PKN ORLEN

••• 18.02.21 Inocean develops Arctic Drillship.
Inocean has developed an Arctic Drillship – based on the companies' modern and effective INO-80 concept. The new unit has been named IN-ICE.
The ship is completely enclosed and winterized, is environmentally friendly, and has enhanced logistics/ storage facilities. The ice class is for a substantially extended drilling season for a large part of the Arctic – with a PC-4 ice class.
"This gives us the opportunity to keep a conventional bow for operations in rough open water wave conditions, as well as to implement a moderate stern for aft-way operations in managed ice," says Jorgen Jorde, Project Manager for Inocean.
"We envisage the stern more optimized for avoiding ice into the moon pool than for ice breaking, but also because drilling operations in Arctic areas are expected to be conducted primarily in "managed ice". Positioning will be done through "Thruster Assisted Turret Mooring" in the shallow parts of the operational area, and by DP in the deeper parts," says Jorde.
As there is a lack of experience with drilling operations in heavy ice conditions with a floating drilling unit, in addition to the limited qualified rescue- and oil collection concepts in ice, Inocean believes a heavy ice class (e.g. PC-1/2) will not come into use for some years yet.
"We are very aware of the environmental challenges related to Arctic Operations and all the requirements that will apply for activities in this area. This aspect has been crucial for the development of our IN-ICE concept," says Jorde.
Source: Offshore Energy Today

••• 18.02.21 Fastnet Oil & Gas reveals deal for Celtic Sea seismic.
Fastnet Oil & Gas says 3D seismic over its Celtic Sea portfolio will begin in its second quarter of this year.
CGG has been named as the firm's preferred bidder for the contract to acquire the data over 1,285 sq km and a letter of intent has been inked.
The deal includes flexibility for up to two additional contingent surveys over a 912 sq km area in 2013, the firm added.
Fastnet chairman Cathal Friel said: "We are pleased to have taken this first step towards de-risking our exciting exploration portfolio offshore Ireland through the acquisition of modern 3D seismic data. The value of 3D seismic has been demonstrated in our other core area offshore Morocco, where the existence of an extensive 3D seismic database has been the catalyst recently for a number of value-creating industry farmins and acquisitions. We anticipate that the commitment to 3D seismic acquisition by Fastnet in the Celtic Sea will have a similar impact on our ability to attract larger oil companies to partner with us to help unlock the potential of our materially significant prospects and leads."
Source: Fastnet Oil & Gas

••• 18.02.21 Fugro: closing of Seabed Geosolutions joint venture with CGG.
Fugro N.V., also on behalf of CGG, announces the closure of the previously announced Seabed Geosolutions joint venture on 16 February 2013.
The closure completes the process of incorporation of the ocean bottom node businesses from Fugro and CGG, and the CGG transition zone, ocean bottom cable and permanent reservoir monitoring activities in a joint venture.
In addition to the contribution of relevant activities from both parents, Fugro has paid EURO 225 million to CGG with respect to the Seabed Geosolutions joint venture in which Fugro takes a 60% stake.
The joint venture will trade under the name Seabed Geosolutions and will be operational with immediate effect.
Source: Fugro

••• 18.02.21 The well reputable shipowner goes for a new advanced high end 3D seismic vessel design from Skipsteknisk.
Norwegian ship design company Skipsteknisk AS announced the sixth ST-design for G.C.Rieber Shipping in Bergen. The well reputable shipowner goes for a new advanced high end 3D seismic vessel design designated ST-324 XT from Skipsteknisk.
ST-324 XT, developed in close cooperation with the owners, can tow up to 22 streamers and is designed with high ice class for operations also in arctic waters. The vessel will have lots of built-in experience from the ST-321 design vessels, Polar Duke and Polar Duchess.
G.C. Rieber has entered into an agreement with Kleven in Norway, for building one vessel with option of one additional. The contract has subject board's approval. The vessel will be outfitted at Myklebust Verft and delivery is set to March 2015.
Seismic company Dolphin Geophysical has contracted the new vessel for a fixed period of five years, and the vessel will enter this contract directly upon delivery from the yard.
Source: Skipsteknisk AS

••• 15.02.21 Turkish seismic ship may turn to Mediterranean sea.
Turkey's new seismic ship Barbaros Hayreddin Pasa will undertake an energy search off Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said yesterday, ahead of the deal signed between a Turkish energy company and Shell over oil and gas exploration in the Black Sea.
"We consider energy exploration operations in both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean to be very important. We will finalize our decision about the route of the ship within two weeks," Yildiz said.
The Black Sea seems to be a higher priority at this point, but sooner or later the ship will head to off-shore fields of Cyprus in order to explore energy, he said.
Turkey has protested strongly against Greek Cyprus’ recent energy searches in the Mediterranean, branding them illegal and starting its own exploratory drilling off the breakaway north of the island.
Source: Maritime-connector

••• 15.02.21 PGS expands seismic acquisition fleet.
PGS expects to take delivery of two new Ramform Titan-class (24 streamers) seismic acquisition vessels this year from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Both were ordered in April 2011, and should be delivered in sequence during 2Q 2013 and 4Q 2013. Estimated cost for each vessel is roughly $260 million, including commissioning and a comprehensive seismic equipment package.
Additionally, PGS has exercised options for two more Ramform newbuilds, which are scheduled for delivery in the first and second half of 2015.
Source: Offshore-mag

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]