Companies in the news

Ashtead Technology has completed a subsea installation monitoring project for Subsea7 in support of Equinor’s Utgard development, in Blocks 15/8 (NCS) and 16/18a (UKCS) of the central North Sea. The contract, which was awarded by i-Tech Services on behalf of Subsea7, saw Ashtead’s deflection monitoring system (DMS) used to capture critical data required to safely deploy a subsea template in water depths of 361 ft from Subsea7’s vessel, the Seven Arctic. The DMS monitors structure deflection, heading, pitch, roll, depth and suction at differential pressures, in real time. 

NOV has opened a new service center in Pleasanton, Texas, near coiled tubing customers in the Eagle Ford shale play. Based on the center’s location and capabilities, customers will be able to reduce nonproductive time in the field by more than 50%.

Orbital Gas Systems has signed a definitive cooperation agreement with SAMSON for global sales and distribution of the company’s proprietary GasPT, VE Technology and combined GasPTi analyzer. Under the terms of the agreement, SAMSON will distribute the company’s solutions globally, excluding North America and the UK.

Total has agreed to purchase from Chevron all the share capital of Chevron Denmark Inc., which holds a 12% interest in the Danish Underground Consortium (DUC), a 12% interest in license 8/06, and a 7.5% interest in the Tyra West pipeline. The acquisition will increase Total’s operated share of DUC from 31.2% to 43.2%, the other partners include Shell (36.8%) and Nordsofonden (20%, owned by the Danish State).

Rosneft and CNPC signed an E&P agreement on cooperation in the Russian Federation. Under the agreement, CNPC will have an opportunity to acquire minority shares in Rosneft’s major oil and gas projects in eastern and western Siberia.  

Hydra has converted its flagship, inspection, maintenance and repair vessel, the Subsea Responder. Newly installed on the vessel, the SAT-14 is a 12-man saturated diving system that allows longer-duration in-water working time and greater working depth, using surface diving techniques.

Gazprom Neft and CNPC have entered into a technical partnership to develop and adopt advanced techniques to increase oil recovery. As an initial step, the companies will launch a feasibility study for surfactant flooding at Sutorminskoye field, in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Russia. 

Total E&P has exercised its option to acquire a 25% WI in the Orinduik Block, offshore Guyana, from Eco Atlantic (Guyana) Inc. for an investment of $12.5 billion. 

Raffles Energy S.R.L. reported that first gas production has begun from Bainet gas field in the EIV-1 Suceava concession, northeastern Romania. PXOG Massey Limited holds a 50% non-operated interest in the 375-mi² concession.

Porto do Açu Operações has signed a cooperation agreement with the Port of Houston to exchange expertise and best practices between the U.S.’s leading port, in terms of imports and exports tonnage, and Brazil’s largest port-industrial-energy complex. The deal also creates new opportunities with the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, creating a commercial and logistical transatlantic triangle. 

CNOOC Limited has begun production at Penglai 19-3 oil field 1/3/8/9 (51% interest and operator). ConocoPhillips holds the remaining 49%. The oil field is in the south-central Bohai Sea. With two wells producing now, the project is expected to reach its peak production of approximately 58,700 bopd in 2020. 

Cheniere Marketing, LLC, has entered into an LNG sale-and-purchase agreement with Vitol Inc. Vitol has agreed to purchase approximately 0.7 MMtpa of LNG from Cheniere Marketing on a free, on-board basis for a term of approximately 15 years.

Neptune Energy Group has completed the acquisition of VNG Norge AS, adding three producing fields, two development projects and 42 licenses to the company’s existing portfolio. The new asset base strengthens its equity position in the greater Njord area to 22.5%, as well as a 30% interest in, and operatorship of, the Fenja subsea development project.

Zennor North Sea Limited, has entered into a sale-and-purchase agreement with Mitsui E&P UK Limited, with respect to its interests in UKCS licenses P.213, Block 16/26a, Area B and P.345 Block 16/27b Area B, which represent an 8.97% WI in Britannia field.

2H Offshore has completed the first phase of the STREAM (steel riser enhanced analytics using measurements) JIP, and has expanded the work into a second phase. The JIP’s participants include Anadarko, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell. In this collaborative effort, field data from four deepwater steel catenary risers and one lazy-wave riser were used to provide a measurement-based foundation for riser modelling, determining industry-standard analysis is often conservative, leading to increased costs and prolonged schedules.

Wärtsilä Corporation has reorganized into two business areas, Wärtsilä Marine Business and Wärtsilä Energy Business, to strengthen the focus on complete lifecycle solutions tailored to specific market needs. The marine business will have approximately 13,100 employees, and the energy business will have 5,500 employees. The new organizational structure will be operational as of first quarter 2019.

Wild Well Control, Inc., a Superior Energy Services company, has launched its mobile, well control training service for rig crews, onsite. The rigsite Crew Training Unit showcases proper drilling techniques, well control issue recognition and best practices to safely shut-in wells. The mobile service is available in the Permian Basin region.