Surmounting the significant challenges of mapping deep structures below salt with seismic data alone, a new non-seismic study which includes the Gabon to Angola margin, encourages further interest in the largely under-explored Southwest Africa offshore region.

McDermott International, Inc. announce it has been awarded a sizeable* transportation and installation subcontract by PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC) Offshore Service Joint Stock Company for the Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (IKC) Sao Vang and Dai Nguyet gas and condensate field developments in the Nam Con Son Basin, located offshore Vietnam.

Last autumn the Fram license partners decided to invest more than NOK 1 billion in a new gas module on Troll C, and now they have decided to drill three new wells on the field for NOK 1.9 billion.

Bureau Veritas, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services, has launched its latest decommissioning guide at Decom Offshore 2018.

TechnipFMC has been awarded a subsea contract by CNOOC Limited for the Liuhua 16-2, 20-2 and 21-2 Oilfield Joint Development Project in the South China Sea, at water depths ranging from 380 to 430 meters.

Well construction specialist, DeltaTek Global, has announced two successful onshore field trials of its innovative SeaCure system, resulting in subsequent offshore trials with two North Sea operators this summer, as part of a project backed by the Oil & Gas Technology Centre.

SeaCure is a pioneering subsea cementing system, delivering stabbed in inner string cementing for subsea wells. Providing significant time and cost benefits, SeaCure’s initial ‘proof of concept’ trials took place in April at an onshore test well at Frank’s International’s Aberdeen base.

SeaCure trial at Frank’s International’s Aberdeen base

These will be followed this summer by three offshore trials in live North Sea wells operated by Chevron and Siccar Point Energy, down to a water depth of 5,000ft.

The trials are expected to lead to a full product launch in September.

Tristam Horn, Chief Executive Officer, DeltaTek

Commenting on latest developments, Tristam Horn, Chief Executive Officer and founder of DeltaTek, said: “The success of these trials clearly illustrates DeltaTek’s fundamental ethos; to save rig time by providing a number of genuinely unique value propositions to drilling operators. We are delighted to have the support of Chevron and Siccar Point Energy for the trials in live wells.

“With the ability to undertake offshore cement jobs in any range of water depths, SeaCure’s inherent benefits include improved success rates of cement placement back to the seabed for conductor and surface casings, performing a pressure test of a subsea casing string prior to and post cementation, as well as entirely eliminating a clean-out run from a subsea drilling programme.”

Wiens van Zeil, Technology Manager, Chevron Upstream Europe, said: “We look forward to collaborating with DeltaTek and the OGTC for the offshore trial of SeaCure. At Chevron, technology is a strategic enabler of business performance and field testing emerging technology is a critical development milestone.”

Malcolm Banks, Well Construction Solution Centre Manager for the Oil & Gas Technology Centre, said: “We are impressed with the progress of the SeaCure technology. There was strong operator interest from the outset and the successful onshore deployment means we can progress the project to live offshore trials later this year.

“DeltaTek Global is a great example of an SME with innovative technology that’s benefiting from working with the Technology Centre. This project has gone from proposal to trial in a matter of months, accelerating a process that would usually take years.”

Launched in 2015, DeltaTek’s disruptive innovations, SeaCure® and ArticuLock® were created in response to the growing requirement for efficiently implemented, intelligent, cost saving and risk reducing products.

Cleansorb, a leading provider of chemical well treatments that enhance hydrocarbon production for the international oil and gas industry, announces that it is helping a major operator to enhance recovery from a maturing field offshore U.K.

Equinor has been awarded 9 new licenses in the 30th Offshore Licensing round, 8 as operator, as announced by the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).

Shell Offshore, Inc. (Shell), a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, announces the early start of production – around one-year ahead of schedule – at the first phase of Kaikias, an economically resilient, subsea development in the US. Gulf of Mexico with estimated peak production of 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d).

TWMA, a provider of specialized drilling waste management services, has secured a five-year contract with Nexen Petroleum UK Limited for the provision of drilling waste management and associated services on multiple assets in the UK North Sea.

Equinor has awarded Odfjell a contract for drilling two times three production wells for the Fram and Askeladd licenses by using the Deepsea Atlantic rig. Odfjell has also been awarded a master framework agreement (MFA).

Kosmos Energy gives an update on current activity in Suriname.

SolstadFarstad has entered into new contract and contract extensions with PETROBRAS – Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. for three of the company’s Brazilian flagged vessels.

Total and its partners have taken the final investment decision to launch the Zinia 2 deep offshore development in Block 17, 150 kilometers offshore Angola. The Zinia 2 project will have a production capacity of 40,000 barrels per day (b/d), sustaining Pazflor field production, on stream since 2011.

Shell Offshore, Inc. (“Shell”) announces a large, deep-water, exploration discovery in the Norphlet geologic play in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico with its Dover well (100% Shell).

Bibby Offshore, a leading subsea services provider to the oil and gas industry, has secured a two-phase multimillion pound contract with a leading oil and gas and production company.