Companies in the news

Dolphin Drilling has signed a $255-million contract with Chevron North Sea to put the semisubmersible Blackford Dolphin into service for the operator, for a minimum of 18 months in the UK North Sea, beginning in second-quarter 2015. This is the fourth  contract awarded to the rig this year, with work to be undertaken for MPX North Sea, in the UK sector, and Capricorn Ireland, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cairn Energy, offshore Ireland. The rig will work during an approximately nine-month contract with Nexen Petroleum UK, prior to moving to the Chevron contract in the North Sea.

Taipan Resources, through its wholly-owned, Kenya-based subsidiary Lion Petroleum, has completed the previously announced farmout agreement with Premier Oil Investments, a subsidiary of Premier Oil, whereby Premier has acquired a 55% participating interest in Block 2B onshore Kenya. Taipan retains a 45% interest and operatorship during the exploration phase in Block 2B. Through the agreement, Premier will carry Taipan through the cost of the work program for the First Additional Exploration Period, totaling a gross cost of up to $29.5 million. This includes drilling and testing the Pearl-1 prospect, estimated to have gross prospective oil resources of 200 million bbl. The remaining lead inventory on Block 2B, in addition to Pearl-1, is capable of delivering in excess of 500 million bbl, gross.

Wintershall and Gas y Petróleo del Neuquén (GyP) have signed a commercial contract and formed a JV agreement for the exploration, and possible development, of Argentina’s onshore Aguada Federal Block. The block comprises 97 sq km of the prospective Vaca Muerta shale, in the Añelo section of eastern Neuquén province. With the deal, Wintershall acquires a 50% participating interest in the block from GyP, and assumes operatorship.

Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has awarded Technip a contract, worth over $400 million, for consultancy services related to project management and engineering. The contract concerns the construction of new oil and gas infrastructure facilities, as well as the upgrading of existing facilities, in Kuwait. Technip will provide services for the next five years, with an option for an additional one-year period. Technip will accompany KOC through different services, including project management, feasibility studies, front-end design, project controls, planning, engineering, procurement, construction management and training of KOC project staff.

Wood Group Mustang Canada has been awarded the detailed engineering and design of an integrated topsides facility, as part of the White Rose Extension Project (WREP), offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Subject to partner, company and regulatory approvals, the WREP facility will consist of topsides, supported by a concrete gravity structure (CGS). Wood Group PSN will provide support with the engineering, procurement and regulatory services. Detailed engineering design of the topsides is scheduled to be completed by first-quarter 2015.

Liberty Energy, an independent oil and gas company targeting onshore Texas conventional oil plays, with a current focus on the Fort Worth basin, has executed terms to acquire a drilling rig capable of drilling to depths of 3,000 ft. Liberty intends to expand its fleet of oilfield service equipment, including this drilling rig and related equipment, to accelerate its development programs. The fully-operational Schramm T685 truck-mounted rig will be acquired with restricted stock.

CGG has been awarded a further contract by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) to provide seismic imaging services at its dedicated center in Muscat, Oman. CGG has operated the PDO-dedicated center since 1994, and the contract will run for another four years, effective January 2014. The center provides the full range of subsurface imaging services for PDO’s onshore data, and specializes in large, high-density, wide-azimuth projects. As part of this contract, CGG will also expand its onsite training facilities and increase its support to Sultan Qaboos University.

Ceona and Odebrecht Oil & Gas have entered into an agreement to deliver subsea construction services to Petrobras, utilizing Ceona’s new construction vessel, Polar Onyx, as a pipelay support vessel (PLSV). The contract for the vessel’s first project was signed Dec. 16, and details a work schedule due to begin in May 2014, with Ceona operating in partnership with OOG. The vessel will work as part of the expanding Petrobras fleet of PLSVs in deep and ultra-deep waters offshore Brazil, installing and recovering flexible risers, flowlines and umbilicals in depths of up to 2,200 m.

Santrol, a Fairmount Minerals company, has opened the Southton proppant terminal, its seventh in the Eagle Ford play. This new terminal serves the north and central parts of the South Texas shale formation. The company has six other Eagle Ford formation terminals in the Texas towns of Alice (two terminals), Gardendale, Gonzales, Pleasanton and Victoria.

Greenberry Industrial announced that it has been issued the API 4F Monogram, a license for the design and manufacture of drilling and well servicing structures. According to API, only 41 U.S. firms possess this designation. The 4F certification covers derricks, masts, crown block assemblies and other substructures used in oil and gas exploration. Greenberry earned the 4F Monogram license following API’s comprehensive series of facility inspections and quality management system audits. In conjunction with the API 4F Monogram, Greenberry also earned three other international quality management system certificates of registration.

GlassPoint Solar was recently recognized by three energy organizations for the deployment of its solar EOR technology. The company received The Oil & Gas Year’s “Technology Provider of the Year” award, presented to companies that have significantly advanced Oman’s energy agenda. Oil & Gas Middle East awarded GlassPoint and Petroleum Development Oman the “EOR Project of the Year” award for its solar EOR project, and its impact on the region’s broader energy industry. The company was also named to The Global Cleantech 100 list, produced by Cleantech Group, which recognizes companies most likely to make a significant market impact, over the next five to 10 years.

Denmark-based Welltec was awarded a direct, two-year contract from Shell Gabon for the supply of conveyance, well intervention and clean-out services on mature assets. Shell produces approximately 64,000 bpd, on average, from Gabon’s Gamba/Ivinga, Rabi/Kounga, Toucan and Koula fields.

WWT International Inc. has reorganized its operations in the U.S. into three separate operating entities, effective Jan. 1. Since its inception in 1988, WWT International (formerly Western Well Tool) has been active in drilling, completion and intervention products and services. The three separate operating companies are: Houston-based WWT International Drilling Tool Services and WWT International Coiled Tubing Services; and Anaheim, Calif.-based WWT International Engineering Services.

Bridon International has launched a new operation: Bridon Aberdeen. It will offer technical advice and support for companies operating in deep waters, providing ropes to be used for lifting and lowering equipment in the North Sea. The new outpost will increase the reach of the company’s Technical Centre, used for product testing and development, and Bridon Neptune Quay, a manufacturing facility.

Katalyst, an E&P subsurface data management firm, has acquired the UK tape transcription business from Iron Mountain. This acquisition brings Katalyst’s services to oil and gas customers in the UK and Europe. Iron Mountain will retain all of its core services, including the highly-secure storage and tape management services. Under the agreement, Iron Mountain will retain 25% ownership in Katalyst Data Management, which provides users with the proprietary iGlass and SeismicZone solutions.