Total to test pre-salt potential pay zones in three blocks offshore Angola
December 27, 2011
Total to Operate 3 New Exploration Blocks in Angola | www.rigzone.com
Total, which has been active in Angola since 1953, now runs 163,000 net bbl/day from blocks 17, 0 and 14. The operated production for the company and its partners is 600,000 bbl/day of oil equivalent. The company announced on December 20 that it had been awarded blocks 40 and 25 and will be a partner in block 39, all located in the deepwater Kwanza basin.
Petrobras's ambitious 21 rig tender becomes a cropper
December 27, 2011
Petrobras Cancels Tender to Build 21 Offshore Rigs | www.rigzone.com
Last October, Petrobras launched a tender covering a series of contracts for the construction of 21 rigs to work in the ultradeep waters of the Santos basin. It was a multi-billion dollar tender. To finance the construction, Petrobras formed a consortium that included itself and various Brazilian pension funds and commercial banks. After several delays, the tender was cancelled on December 22.
Total to develop natural gas deposits in the Arctic to supply France and China
December 21, 2011
Total, Novatek to Develop Termokarstovoye | www.rigzone.com
Last summer Total and Novatek, agreed to invest $38 billion in a liquefied natural gas project on Russia's Yamal Peninsula. Called Yamal SPG, the project is owned by Novatek, in which Total has a 12% interest. Additionally, the Russian government recently approved Total's purchase of a 20.5% interest in Yamal SPG. Novatek owns several rich natural gas fields in northwest Siberia with an estimated 1.3 trillion m3 of gas, plus 52 million tons of gas condensate.
Vaca Muerta oil shale drilling hindered by regulations
December 20, 2011
Fitch: Regulations to Limit Near-Term Growth in Argentina Shale | www.rigzone.com
The Vaca Muerta shale has been the focus of Patagonian exploration in 2011. The interested companies include ExxonMobil, Apache, YPF/REPSOL and others. Although lightly explored, it appears that it could be possible to recover up to 750 million bbls of crude oil from the regions tested so far. The Neuquén basin is large and about 250,000 acres show promise. Government regulations will have to be relaxed to make it worthwhile for private companies.
Anadarko's Lucius appears to be a big field on a large subsalt structure
December 20, 2011
Apache to Develop Lucius Project in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico | www.rigzone.com
The 2009 discovery well cut 200 feet of high quality 29º API crude oil. The appraisal sidetrack drilled upstructure found 650 feet of crude oil plus a gas condensate zone. Anadarko (which holds a 35% stake) completed a unitization agreement with co-owners Plains E&P (23.3%), Apache (11.7%), Petrobras (9.6%), ExxonMobil (15%) and Eni (5.4%). The unit is expected to go on production from a spar in 2014 at 80,000 bbl/day.
Reading the tea leaves on Gulf of Mexico OCS lLease sSale 218
December 19, 2011
First Post-Macondo Lease Sale Draws US $337 million in High Bids | www.rigzone.com
The first federal offshore lease sale since the MC-252 spill in April 2010 resulted in $337 million in high bids. The auction included 3,913 blocks covering more than 21 million acres (an average of 5,366 acres/block). Twenty oil and natural gas companies submitted 214 bids totalling $712 million, up 28% from lease sale 210 in August 2009. In the 2009 sale, 27 companies bid on 162 tracts.
Eagle Ford shale discovery in Louisiana extends play probability in Texas
December 15, 2011
Eagle Ford activity doubles in 2011, tests move into Louisiana | www.ogfj.com
The Eagle Ford was originally developed as a dry gas play in LaSalle County in 2007-08 when natural gas prices were higher than today's. Later, a condensate window and then a northern oil rim was found. This liquids-rich find in Louisiana suggests that other Texas counties are prospective.
Venoco says the Sevier discovery is risky, but it will keep drilling
December 14, 2011
Venoco Updates 2012 Spending, Monterey Shale Activity | www.rigzone.com
Venoco reported production guidance and drilling plans for 2012 in a press release dated December 12. Production is expected to be in the range of 17,750 - 18,250 bbl/day of oil equivalent. The company reported a capital and exploratory budget of $255 million with $100 million to drill Monterey shale wells. The Sevier discovery still needs to be derisked.
Consolidation in the solar power sector
December 12, 2011
During the recent rush to renewable energy sources, solar has taken it on the chin. This is perhaps deserved, particularly in the U.S., where there have been several economic and technical disasters.
Sister Chevron aims to produce 3.3 million bbl/day by 2017
December 12, 2011
Chevron Sets 2012 Capex at $32.7 B | www.rigzone.com
Each passing year sees increased capital and exploratory expenses for all oil companies. Chevron will spend $33 billion in 2011 and again in 2012. To get to 3.3 million bbl/day by 2017, Chevron's annual budgets will have to rise every year after 2012 to account for inflation and the increasing difficulty of replacing reserves.
Chesapeake Energy bites the natural gas bullet
January 25, 2012
Flurry of newbuild drilling rig deliveries in 2012 may dampen rig rates
January 20, 2012
Talisman joins the ranks of cautious E&P companies
January 12, 2012
Early signs of caution begin to cloud frontier exploration and production
January 4, 2012
It's too early in the game to write off Shtokman
December 8, 2011