Subsea Integration Alliance has announced the award of integrated subsea engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contracts. These awards, by Esso Australia Pty Ltd, represent the first integrated subsea project for Subsea Integration Alliance in Australia combining OneSubsea and Subsea 7 expertise in subsea production systems (SPS) and subsea umbilical, riser and flowline (SURF) systems.

Eni has signed two Concession Agreements in Abu Dhabi, for the acquisition of a 70% stake in the Offshore Block 1 and Offshore Block 2 exploration areas for a duration of 35 years, leading a consortium including Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production Company Limited (PTTEP) with the remaining 30% stake.

Artificial intelligence, energy diversification and the transformation of the workforce will be amongst the major talking points at SPE Offshore Europe 2019.

Aker BP have selected Optime Subsea as a provider of well access system and -services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) for the next 2 years, with extension options.

Aberdeen-based oil and gas production technology business, Pragma Well Technology (‘Pragma’), has been given the green light by Pharis Energy and OGTC to progress with the manufacture and prototype testing of their Downhole Steam Injection Valve (‘DSIV’) following a successful feasibility study.

The Gullfaks partners have decided to drill seven new wells and thereby improve oil recovery by 17 million barrels with good profitability. On behalf of the licence partners, Equinor’s executive vice president for Development and Production Norway, Arne Sigve Nylund, presented an amended plan for development and operation (PDO) to the minister of petroleum and energy, Kjell-Børge Freiberg, at the Sandefjord Conference on Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the National Oil and Gas Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain (NOGA) and Eni with the aim to pursue petroleum exploration of Block 1, an offshore area of over 2,800 km2 still largely unexplored, located in the northern territorial waters of the Kingdom of Bahrain with water depth ranging from 10m up to 70m.

The National Decommissioning Centre (NDC), a global technology R&D hub, was opened by Lord Duncan, UK Government Minister for Scotland and Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Scottish Energy Minister, in Newburgh, in North-East Scotland’s Energetica Corridor on Friday, January 11, 2019.

Equinor has, together with its partners Petoro, ExxonMobil and Total, proven gas and condensate in the Norwegian Sea Ragnfrid North (6406/2-9 S) exploration well. Recoverable resources are estimated at 6-25 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Equinor has been awarded 29 new licenses by Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy as part of the Award in Predefined Areas (APA) for 2018 – 13 licenses as operator and 16 as partner.

Aker Energy, as the operator of the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) block, announces that it is about to complete a successful drilling operation of the Pecan-4A appraisal well offshore Ghana.

Rowan Companies plc announces that the Rowan Norway, an N-Class ultra-harsh environment jack-up rig, has been awarded a contract in Norway by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS ("COPSAS") for an estimated duration of seven months that is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2019. The contract award is subject to partner approval.

Airborne Oil & Gas B.V. announces it has been awarded a contract from TOTAL to supply a TCP (Thermoplastic Composite Pipe) Jumper for a deepwater project in West Africa. The field is located approximately 150 km offshore in water depths of up to 1600 m. This contract follows the successful completion of a rigorous testing program, in which TOTAL qualified Airborne Oil & Gas’ TCP Water Injection Jumper for permanent subsea applications.

Equinor is using technical expertise from Lloyd’s Register (LR) to lead a safety study assessment for the second phase of the Peregrino oil field in Brazil.

Subsea Innovation Ltd, part of Tekmar Group plc, has announced that it has been awarded DNV GL type approval for its SIClamp structural pipeline repair clamp technology. In doing so, Subsea Innovation is the first manufacturer in the world to achieve this certification.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate’s forecasts show that, after a minor decline in 2019, oil and gas production will increase from 2020 and up to 2023. Overall production will then approach the record year of 2004.