U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced that the Department is proposing the largest oil and gas lease sale ever held in the United States --76,967,935 acres in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

Aker Solutions has won an order valued at more than NOK 1.6 billion to deliver the largest umbilicals system ever.

Otto Energy Ltd. announces that the operator of the South Marsh Island 71 (SM 71) oil and gas development, Byron Energy Limited, has completed the installation of the 500 foot 4-inch oil and 7,000 foot 6-inch gas pipelines on October 21, 2017.

Ocean Rig UDW Inc. (NASDAQ: ORIG) ("Ocean Rig"or "UDW" or the "Company") an international contractor of offshore deepwater drilling services, has announced that it has signed a new drilling contract with Statoil, for a one-well drilling program offshore Tanzania. The contract is expected to commence in Q1 2018, to be performed by the Ocean Rig Poseidon.

Rowan Companies plc ("Rowan" or the "Company") (NYSE: RDC) has announced that ARO Drilling, a 50/50 joint venture with the Saudi Arabian Oil Company ("Saudi Aramco"), commenced operations on October 17, 2017.

Otto Energy Limited (ASX:OEL) announces that drilling of the ST 224 #1 well has commenced within the South Timbalier 224 (‘ST 224’) lease in the Gulf Of Mexico shelf. Drilling is targeting a large, amplitude supported, high CGR (condensate gas ratio) gas condensate exploration prospect located in the prolific Bul. 1 trend. Otto holds a 25% working interest in ST 224 which is operated by W&T Offshore.

MHWirth AS, a company owned by Akastor ASA, has received a contract from Wood Group Canada Inc for delivery of a drilling package, including equipment, engineering and services for the West White Rose Project offshore Canada.

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) announces that the ultra-deepwater drillship Deepwater Invictus was awarded a two-year contract plus three one-year priced options with a subsidiary of BHP Billiton. The backlog associated with the firm contract is approximately $106 million. The contract is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2018.

Add Energy, an international energy consultancy provider, has partnered with Transborders Energy (TBE) and joined forces with TechnipFMC and MODEC to create a unique and fast deployment business model for the FLNG (floating liquefied natural gas) industry that will free up small-scale stranded resources around the world and establish a new concept in global gas field development.

Leading international oilfield services company, Expro, has launched a new extreme high pressure tubing conveyed perforating (TCP) gun system, delivering the largest perforation hole area available for frac and gravel pack completions.

Global subsea excavation specialist James Fisher Subsea Excavation (JFSE) is embarking on its 80th decommissioning/salvage job in the Gulf of Mexico.

Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) has announced it has started producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Wheatstone Project in Western Australia. The first cargo is on track to be shipped in the coming weeks.

Fugro, in conjunction with long-time associates, Constructora Subacuática Diavaz, S.A. de C.V., has been awarded a large survey contract by Mexico's national oil company, Pemex. Valued at approximately USD 10 million, the contract covers work between August and December 2017.

The Honghua Group Limited has awarded a $12 million front-end engineering design (FEED) contract to Wood for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) platform development in the West Delta area of the Gulf of Mexico.

On Oct. 9, 2017, Anadarko signed an exploration agreement with the Government of Peru to explore 4.7 million acres located on three deepwater blocks in the Trujillo Basin offshore Peru.

Statoil and partners have made an oil discovery in the Verbier sidetrack well in the outer Moray Firth on the UK Continental Shelf, proving a minimum of 25 million recoverable barrels of oil in the immediate vicinity of the wellbore.