Companies in the news

SandRidge has updated its U.S. operations and planning, based on its third-quarter 2014 results, indicating that it will expand its low-cost multilateral program and extend its Mid-Continent resources base with Chester and Woodford production. “Our Mid-Continent drilling program continues to generate commercial returns,” said SandRidge CEO and President James Bennett. “Our teams are focused on continued well cost reductions, now further supported by likely lower service costs ahead.” Image courtesy of SandRidge Energy.

Hess Exploration Australia has signed a non-binding LOI with the North West Shelf JV. Hess intends to develop natural gas discoveries in its deepwater permits, offshore northwestern Australia, and, subject to contractual agreements, route production through existing NWS processing and liquefaction facilities in Karratha, Australia. Hess will market the LNG to customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lion Energy will team up with conventional PSC holders, Bukit Energy and New Zealand Oil & Gas, to jointly explore an area within the prolific North Sumatra basin. Lion, via its wholly owned subsidiary, KRX Energy, has an option to acquire a 15% interest in the conventional Bohorok PSC. The PSC partners can acquire a 45% interest in Lion’s unconventional joint study application over a partially overlapping area. The Bohorok PSC is in the southern part of the North Sumatra basin, which holds gas reserves estimated at 25 Tcf, and 1.6 Bbbl of condensate. 

Statoil has awarded service contracts for seven bases in Norway. These contracts have been awarded to NorSea Group, Saga Fjordbase and Asco Norge, and include terminal and warehouse services, as well as storage and pipeline handling. The contracts are valued at roughly $650 million, over a 10-year period. 

AGR has been awarded a well management services contract with Edison Norge. AGR will support Edison across its operating licenses, including its first exploration well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. AGR will deliver services relating to well construction, operational support, project management and rig intake services on the Edison-operated PL616, Haribo exploration well. The three-year contract has extension options, which could see it extend to five years in total.

Otto Energy has successfully completed a 430-km, 2D-seismic program over the Kilombero basin in central Tanzania. Otto Energy Tanzania, a wholly owned subsidiary of Otto Energy, has a 50% participating interest in the Kilosa Kilombero license. The seismic survey was carried out by Otto’s JV partner and operator, Swala Oil and Gas (Tanzania), a wholly owned subsidiary of Swala Energy. The JV has already identified the Kito prospect as a potential drilling target for 2015. 

Ukraine-based Burisma Holdings signed an agreement with the Kazakh national oil & gas company, NC KazMunaiGas (KMG), to develop oil and gas resources in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The agreement stipulates that Burisma Holdings, together with KMG, will conduct a round of seismic and drilling, as well as explore the possibility of building infrastructure in Kazakhstan. Burma Holdings owns stakes in significant oil and gas assets in Kazakhstan, and has the pre-emptive right for 100% of all new onshore deposits, and 50% of offshore deposits, and licenses, in the country.

Bashneft and Emerson Process Management have signed a long-term memorandum to develop comprehensive automation for industrial facilities. Cooperation with Emerson will include designing and manufacturing automated process control systems, valves, instrumentation and controls, and supplying them to Bashneft.

McDermott International has been awarded a contract to install the offshore jacket, deck and piles for the Ayatsil-A drilling platform operated by PEMEX’s E&P division in the Bay of Campeche’s Ayatsil field. The Intermac 600 will launch the 8,400-ton jacket, and the heavy-lift Derrick Barge 50 will complete the installation of the jacket, a 3,400-ton deck, and other platform components in water depths of 400 ft. The total facility weight is around 15,800 tons. Ayatsil field is the largest discovery for PEMEX to date, and is expected to boost the country’s production by 150,000 bopd. This contract award follows McDermott’s successful delivery of the Ayatsil-B eight-leg jacket and deck during July 2014.

Helix Energy Solutions Group, OneSubsea (a Cameron and Schlumberger company) and Schlumberger have executed the companies’ non-incorporated alliance, formed to develop technologies, and deliver equipment and services, to optimize the value chain of subsea well intervention systems. The alliance will integrate marine support, with well-access equipment and control technologies.  

AccessESP has installed the first rigless ESP conveyance system in Nigeria at the Ukpokiti #4 offshore well for Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited (SEPCOL). This installation was performed using AccessESP’s 375 series, 190-hp, permanent magnet motor and wet connector system. The ESP system was deployed through 4.5-in. tubing on conventional .125-in. slickline after installation of the tubing string. The Ukpokiti #4 system was deployed via slickline to a depth of 5,900 ft, and took less than 15 hr to install.

Halliburton has opened a new base at Regency Park in South Australia. The site will provide comprehensive maintenance support for South Australian-based equipment. The new facility has a fully equipped mechanical workshop and a warehouse. Other functions at the site include logistics for the Cooper basin and interstate sites, multiple procurement functions, a training facility and quality assurance functions.

Tendeka has announced two significant contracts for sand and inflow control technology in Russia.  The combined awards will include the supply of over 400 autonomous, inflow control devices in 2015. Tendeka is to provide RN-Purneftegaz with sand face completion equipment and services, for horizontal wells at the onshore Severo-Komsomolskoe oil field in Western Siberia. Expected deployment will be in spring 2015 for the planned 100-well field development campaign. In a separate award, Tendeka secured a contract with Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft at Yury Korchagin oil field, in the North Caspian Sea, for horizontal well installations in 2015.  

LQT Industries has been awarded a contract for the construction of 10 modular units to be used onboard a commercial vessel. The outfitting will consist of hardcore, and softcore, wall systems. These modules will be built to USCG and ABS Class standards. The project is scheduled to be completed and delivered in March of 2015. Construction will take place at LQT’s recently-expanded facility in Abbeville, Louisiana.