DIETSWELL signe avec LUKOIL Mid-East Ltd à Dubai d’un accord-cadre de trois ans pour des services d’audit technique

DIETSWELL annonce la signature avec LUKOIL Mid-East Ltd d’un contrat pour l’inspection de dix (10) appareils de forage à terre (drilling rigs) et de cinq (5) appareils d’intervention sur puits (workover rigs), soit au total 15 appareils. Ce contrat-cadre de trois ans, d’une valeur estimée de 1,1 million de dollars US, renforce la présence de la société dans la région du Moyen-Orient en général, et en Iraq en particulier. Les premières inspections qui seront réalisées par Factorig, la division audit et inspection de Dietswell devraient commencer en janvier 2012. Source

Technip remporte un contrat à prix forfaitaire pour le développement du champ Lucius dans le golfe du Mexique

Technip a remporté un contrat à prix forfaitaire auprès d’Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Ce contrat porte sur l’ingénierie, la construction et le transport de la coque d’une plate-forme de production de type Truss Spar de 23 000 tonnes, pour le projet Lucius(1) situé dans le golfe du Mexique (États-Unis), à 2 165 mètres de profondeur, et dont l’exploitation devrait démarrer en 2014. Lucius sera la septième Spar livrée par Technip à Anadarko(2). La plate-forme flottante Lucius aura une capacité de production de 80 000 barils de pétrole et de 13 millions de m3 de gaz naturel par jour. Le centre opérationnel de Technip à Houston (Texas), managera l’ensemble du projet. La conception détaillée de la coque et sa fabrication seront effectuées sur le chantier naval du Groupe à Pori (Finlande). Cette Spar, la quinzième réalisée par Technip (sur dix-huit dans le monde), démontre à la fois le leadership du Groupe dans ce type d’unités flottantes et sa capacité à fournir des solutions pour les développements en eaux très profondes. Elle confirme également l’expertise et la capacité du chantier de Pori à livrer des plates-formes performantes. Source

TUROGE 2011

The 11th edition of the Turkish International Oil & Gas Conference and Showcase (TUROGE) will take place on 21 - 22 March 2012 at the Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center in Ankara, Turkey. The event brings together leaders from the local and global public and private sectors, international Ambassadors to Turkey and senior level managers from major oil and gas companies. The conference is an ideal platform to learn about both geo-political and technical insights into the local energy industry, while listening to presentations from representatives from the Turkish government. The showcase is also an ideal platform that unites regional suppliers with global operators. Source

Eni signs the Production Sharing Contract for the exploration of Block 35 in deepwater offshore Angola

Eni and Sonangol E.P. signed today in Luanda a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for the exploration of Block 35, which is situated in deepwater offshore Angola, 150km off the coast of the capital Luanda. The Block covers approximately 4,900 square km of potential mining acreage in the deep water of the northern Kwanza Basin, one of the most attractive areas for pre-salt exploration in West Africa.

The contract encompasses the drilling of two wells at pre-salt play and the acquisition of a 3D seismic survey of 2500 square km. These commitment activities will take place during the first exploration period, which will last 5 years. Eni is the operator of the project with a 30% interest and the other partners in the Joint Venture are Sonangol P.P. (45%) and Repsol Exploracion SA (25%).

Eni’s operatorship of the project allows it to leverage its deepwater experience, gained through its participation in Blocks 15 and 14, where it holds a 20% interest, and through its operatorship of Block 15/06 (with a 35% interest), where the company successfully completed the first exploration campaign with the sanctioning of two development projects.

This PSC strengthens Eni’s presence in Angola and reinforces its commitment to deepwater developments. The technological complexity of these frontier projects requires specific skills and expertise which are key factors in the company’s success.

Eni has been present in Angola since 1980. Its current equity production is approximately 130,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. This operation positions Angola as one of the core countries in Eni’s organic production growth strategy.

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Alliance Oil and Repsol reach an agreement to form and govern Russian exploration and production joint venture

Repsol Chairman Antonio Brufau and Alliance Group Chairman Musa Bazhaev have today signed an agreement in Moscow to form a joint venture that serves as a growth platform for both companies in the Russian Federation, the world’s largest oil and gas producer.

This agreement seeks to combine Alliance’s knowledge and access to exploration and production business opportunities in Russia with Repsol’s know-how and technological and financing capabilities to create a long-term exploration and production partnership in Russia.

The joint venture is envisioned to have a total asset base of approximately $840 million following asset and cash contributions by the shareholders. Alliance and Repsol will hold a 51% and a 49% stake respectively in the joint venture.

Under this collaboration, Alliance will transfer its upstream subsidiaries Saneco and Tatnefteodatcha, which comprise exploration and production licenses at 14 fields with proven and probable oil reserves of 171.5 million barrels as of 31st December 2010 and current production of around 20,500 barrels of oil per day. Alliance’s asset contribution is valued at $570 million. Repsol will carry out a capital increase in the joint venture and also pay cash to Alliance to obtain a 49% participation.

In addition to the exploitation of the assets contributed by Alliance, the agreement envisages the pursuance of growth opportunities through the joint acquisition of oil and gas assets in Russia. The joint venture will have preferential rights regarding new upstream business opportunities identified by either Alliance or Repsol in Russia. The formation of the joint venture is pending regulatory approval. Alliance has been advised by Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Baker & McKenzie and Repsol by Barclays Capital and DLA Piper.

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Fairmount Sherpa delivers rig Noble Paul Romano in Egypt

Fairmount Marine’s powerful tug Fairmount Sherpa has safely towed the semi-submersible drilling rig Noble Paul Romano from the Gulf of Mexico to Egypt. The tow was over a distance of close to 8,000 miles. When contracted by Noble Drilling the Fairmount Sherpa just has completed the installation of FPSO Skarv, offshore Norway. Fairmount Sherpa was mobilized first to Rotterdam for supplies and bunkers before it sailed to Jamaica for a rendez-vous with Noble Paul Romano, which was all ready under tow by tug Svitzer Rotterdam. Offshore Jamaica Fairmount Sherpa hooked up the tow and the convoy set sail for San Juan, Puerto Rico, for bunkers. After the successful crossing of the North Atlantic the convoy safely arrived at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, for a next bunker stop. Here Fairmount Sherpa assisted in cargo and personnel transfer for the Noble Paul Romano as well. En route Egypt the convoy made a stop in Malta for a cargo and personnel run for the Noble Paul Ramona before it sailed towards the mooring position in the North Hap’y oilfield in the Greater Nile basin offshore Egypt, in the eastern part of the Mediterranean sea. The satisfied client Noble Drilling hired Fairmount Sherpa for additional cargo runs in the North Hap’y field. Fairmount Marine is a marine contractor for ocean towage and heavy lift transportation, headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Fairmount’s fleet of tugs consists of five modern super tugs of 205 tons bollard pull each, especially designed for long distance towing. Fairmount Marine is part of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group. Source

Canada lays down filing rules for offshore Arctic drilling

Canada’s National Energy Board, in an effort to allay public concerns in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico disaster, released filing requirements for future applications to drill in the Canadian Arctic Offshore.

“Filing requirements set out the technical information we will need to see in future applications for offshore drilling in the Canadian Arctic,” said NEB Chair and Chief Executive Officer Gaetan Caron.

“These new requirements provide clarity to future applicants and to those who will provide input into the board’s decision to approve or deny an application for a well in the Arctic,” Caron said.

There is currently no offshore drilling in Canada’s Arctic and no applications for drilling before the board. But companies now licensed to explore in the Beaufort Sea would still need to respond to the newly released filing requirements in their applications.

Publication of the filing requirements follows several months of extensive consultation carried out across the northern areas of the country during the NEB’s so-called Arctic Review.

“During the Arctic Review, many northern residents stated that if drilling is to be authorized in the unique Arctic environment, it must be done right,” NEB said in issuing its report.

The report’s key findings include :

• The root cause of most offshore accidents is the lack of a broadly shared safety culture. In other words, people don’t do what they are supposed to do.

• The NEB has the necessary tools to protect the safety of workers, the public and the unique Arctic environment.

• Northern residents want their voices to be heard in future decisions about offshore drilling, and they want to be involved in preparing for future drilling projects, in particular in training for emergencies.

• The NEB has reaffirmed its Same Season Relief Well Policy. Any company wishing to depart from it in a future application for a well would have to demonstrate how they would meet or exceed the intended outcome of the policy, which is to kill an out-of-control well in the same season in order to minimize harmful impacts on the environment.

• During the Arctic Review, industry representatives acknowledged Northern residents’ concerns and committed to engaging communities in more meaningful ways, as early as possible in their planning processes.

• Industry representatives also spoke of developing and offering appropriate training opportunities to northerners to help prepare them for employment and business opportunities.

Trevor Taylor, policy director with Oceans North Canada, an arm of the US-based Pew Environment Group, felt the NEB review was "a positive first step" but he hopes for more clarity on specific issues.

Taylor said it appears that the NEB will consider the specifics of each energy company’s safety plan on a case-by-case basis rather than by setting detailed requirements.

"Our major concern and disappointment with the report is that some of the clarity on Arctic filing requirements, on emergency response…is still lacking," he said.

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