Bath-based BMT Defence Services Ltd (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has announced the opening of a second office in Bath. Plymouth House on Monmouth Street will house the Norwegian LSV (Logistics and Support Vessel) project team – a prestigious design contract BMT recently won in partnership with South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).

Muir Macdonald, Managing Director at BMT Defence Services comments: "We were fortunate to find suitable design studio space close to our Lower Bristol Road headquarters for this exciting project. Our growth in international projects has brought a further 40 people into the company over the last 12 months and I am delighted that we continue to attract the highest quality people to the industry."

As well as continuing to pursue contracts in both the UK and abroad, BMT has invested much time and effort to become an integrated member of the local community. With strong links into schools and universities, BMT is dedicated to supporting the development of key skills such as science, technology, engineering and maths.

Full Picture' technology delivery for new Korean and Chinese offshore units

Kongsberg Maritime has recently been awarded separate contracts with three major shipyards in Asia for major technology deliveries to specialist offshore vessels. Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in Korea, and Cosco Shipyard in China have each selected KONGSBERG 'Full Picture' solutions for, in total, nine advanced Offshore Drilling Units, an Accommodation Unit, a Multipurpose Construction Vessel and four LNG vessels with Integrated Automation Systems. The deliveries total over 400 MNOK and include extensive Dynamic Positioning (DP), Automation, Navigation, Hydroacoustic Positioning and Riser Management technology.

"KONGSBERG has built up extensive expertise in Korea and China, both within the merchant (deep sea) and offshore segment. This foundation helped us to secure several offshore projects in close cooperation with these major yards recently, and this latest round of separate contracts is further evidence of our strong position in the advanced offshore vessel and platform market. We truly appreciate the confidence shown by the shipyards and vessel owners when choosing KONGSBERG for these prestigious contracts," comments Morten Stanger, Regional Sales Manager Offshore Asia, Kongsberg Maritime.

One of the SHI contracts is for two GustoMSC CJ70 design advanced Drilling Jackup Units, which will be equipped with an extensive Full Picture Solution. This project is particularly important for KONGSBERG, considering the new and growing market for Drilling Jackup construction vessels in Korea.

"The Full Picture strategy enables shipyards and owners to order all key vessel technology from a trusted single supplier with extensive experience and high-level local presence. For these new contracts, Kongsberg Maritime is supplying all key positioning and automation systems, whilst the new generation Riser Management Systems for the Drilling Units are designed and delivered by our sister company Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies," concludes Stanger.

Øystein Michelsen has been appointed Tanzania country manager in Development and Production International, Sub-Saharan Africa (DPI SAF) in Statoil.

Michelsen will report to DPI SAF senior vice president Tove Stuhr Sjøblom, and will assume his new responsibilities on 1 January 2014. His office location will be Dar es Salaam.

Michelsen succeeds acting country manager Knut Henrik Dalland, who will continue in a senior position in the Tanzania gas development and country organisation.

Michelsen is currently executive vice president of Development and Production Norway (DPN), a role he has held since 2008.

He joined Norsk Hydro in 1981 and came to Statoil with the merger in 2007, taking up the role as senior vice president for Operations North. He has a broad background from a range of operational and leadership positions. Michelsen has a master degree in physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in 1980.

"Øystein took on the challenging role as head of DPN at short notice in 2008, and has taken the organisation forward in a very good way. His deep operational experience, combined with a hands-on approach and his ability to mobilise and motivate his people, has been instrumental in developing DPN. At the same time he has built high credibility and trust with all key stakeholders, within the industry as well as on the political arena," says Statoil CEO Helge Lund.

"We have now appointed one of our most experienced leaders as country manager for Tanzania, reflecting the importance of this role. It is a challenging and important project that will demand the best of Statoil's capabilities. I take this opportunity to thank Øystein for his contributions in his DPN role, and look forward to working closely with him also in his new and important role," Lund says.

A new DPN executive vice president will be announced at a later date.

Swire Oilfield Services, a leading global provider of cargo carrying solutions, modular systems, offshore aviation services and fluid management, has appointed Bob Smith as its new head of operations for the UK.

Mr Smith will oversee all operational activity of the UK bases and continue to build on the company's commitment to process improvement and people development. He will also be responsible for driving growth in the operational function in the UK, which incorporates the company's new sling manufacturing and maintenance service. Last month, Swire Oilfield Services announced it is set to invest more than £185,000 in its sling manufacturing and repair facility in Aberdeen with the capacity to match its current internal demand of 5,000 slings per year.

For the last seven years, Mr Smith has held the position of operations manager at Stoneywood Paper Mill in Aberdeen, Scotland. He also has energy sector experience through offshore work and has a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Henley Management College.

On his appointment, Mr Smith said: "In recent years, Swire Oilfield Services has grown significantly and there are exciting plans for the future. I will be focused on improving the UK operations to support achieving the company's objectives and I look forward to the challenges ahead.

"It gives me great pride to join a company that has continual focus on growth both externally and internally. I already feel part of the Swire team and it is clear that the company is devoted to its people and recognizes that their development in an essential part of future success."

Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) announces that Chairman, President and CEO Dan Rabun (photo) has decided to retire after nearly eight years of service. Mr. Rabun will continue to serve in his current role as Chairman, President and CEO until the Board of Directors has completed the succession process and a new CEO has been appointed. To assist with the new CEO's transition, Mr. Rabun will remain Chairman through at least the 2014 Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Rabun's planned retirement from the CEO role has been part of the Board's succession planning process for more than a year. A special committee chaired by Paul Rowsey, the Board's Lead Director, is directing the succession process. This committee has been working with Heidrick & Struggles International Inc., a leading executive recruiting firm, and is considering both external and internal candidates.

"Dan has made many contributions to the success of our Company - especially his unwavering passion to further advance safety and operational excellence," said Mr. Rowsey. "Over the past eight years revenue and stockholders' equity have more than quadrupled, dividends have grown from $0.10 to $3.00 per share annually and we are now among the largest and most well-respected offshore drillers."
Mr. Rowsey concluded, "We are grateful that Dan will facilitate a smooth transition as we complete the succession process."

Mr. Rabun commented, "I have truly enjoyed leading Ensco over the past eight years. We have a highly-talented management team and exceptionally dedicated employees who have made our many achievements possible. In particular, I am especially proud that we have taken our safety performance to an even higher level. Our new CEO will benefit, as I have, , from our employees' commitment to go beyond expectations in everything they do." 

Imtech Marine has been awarded a second Advanced Support Agreement from Jack-Up Barge for 24/7 remote monitoring and maintenance of the systems installed by Imtech Marine on board the newbuild, self-elevating platform JB-118. This follows an earlier and similar contract for the JB-117, where Imtech Marine completed equipment installation in 2012 and subsequently started remote monitoring. The JB-118 was built near Hong Kong in Shenzhen. Imtech Marine presents a live & operational remote control room at the Europort exhibition, hall 1, stand 1124.

The remote support is extensive and comprises the VSAT network, the ICT network, PABX central telephone system and the total navigation, communication and entertainment package, including IPTV and satellite television. Additionally, VHF/UHF communications for the crane operators, a meteo and CCTV system, as well as a communications system for the helideck. Because the barges are often working offshore for many weeks at a time it is vital that any problems can be sorted out remotely. This agreement also includes ICT system management. For instance when there are crew changes and a new crew is boarding all necessary ICT actions are set up and prepared such as email accounts, file server changes, login passwords etc. Imtech Marine makes these changes remotely for Jack-Up Barge.

Frank Berends, Global Manager Remote Services : "Our aim is to eliminate all surprises with remote support, and thus reducing maintenance costs by remote monitoring. Imtech's GTAC (Global Technical Assistance Centre) provides all the resources for that, including three 24/7 Remote Control Rooms in Rotterdam, Houston and Singapore. Jack-Up Barge has given us the freedom and the trust to get the job done. Since we started to provide Remote monitoring & Maintenance for the JB-117 one and a half year ago, maintenance attendances to the Barge have been reduced substantially."

Continuity and crew welfare
Hugo Cramer, Technical Manager Jack-Up Barge comments: "The JB-117 is working on a three-year contract on a wind farm in the North Sea. With 24/7 support and remote monitoring, diagnostics and maintenance included, we are able to improve reliability of vital installations and reduce the maintenance costs by avoiding unplanned service calls. Monitoring the condition of the system remotely ensures us of continuity of operation. Jack-Up Barge also recognises that access to television and the Internet is very important for crew welfare. The crew works hard on long shifts and needs to be able to relax. Working with Imtech we know what to expect and that Imtech delivers." The two companies work in true partnership, he says.
Jack-Up Barge is one of the world's leading suppliers of Self Elevating Platforms for both the energy and heavy civil construction markets. Based in Sliedrecht, the Netherlands, Jack-Up Barge supplies two types of Self Elevating Platforms, the Modular and Monohull Jack-Up. JB-117 is in operation on building a windmill farm in the Nordsea above the German Bight. The first job for the JB-118 is to function as an accommodation platform in the North Sea for a period of four months. Because of this task, Imtech Marine received an expansion order for the network, telephone, entertainment and PA/GA system.

Parker Drilling (NYSE: PKD) announces that Robert "Bobby" L. Parker Jr. will retire as an employee of the company, effective December 31, 2013. Mr. Parker will continue to serve as Chairman of the company's board of directors until the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2014, at which time Gary G. Rich, the company's chief executive officer, will be nominated to serve in that role and Mr. Parker will be nominated to stand for re-election to the board for an additional three-year term.

Mr. Parker's retirement culminates a long, successful and notable career, including 18 years as president and chief executive officer of Parker Drilling. During his tenure, Mr. Parker established the company as a respected trailblazer and leader in responsibly accessing remote and challenging frontiers in energy exploration and development. Under his guidance, the company was instrumental in creating innovative new technologies and operational procedures that advanced the drilling profession and continue to benefit the global oil and gas industry today.

A recognized champion of safety and environmental stewardship, Mr. Parker spearheaded the development of Parker Drilling's strong safety culture. Over the years, the company has repeatedly recorded Total Recordable Incident Rates well below the International Association of Drilling Contractors member average and continues to receive accolades and recognitions from its customers for its commitment to safe operations, environmental care, and performance excellence. Mr. Parker's focus on superior customer service positioned the company to help its customers achieve multiple drilling performance milestones, particularly on Sakhalin Island, Russia. His vision to offer additional integrated drilling services to the marketplace contributed to the acquisitions of Quail Rental Tools and Mallard Drilling, which formed the base for Parker's domestic Rental Tools and U.S. Drilling business segments. Each has consistently proven to be a high performing business unit in Parker's overall portfolio.

Statoil recommends building a new drilling and processing platform on the Snorre field in the North Sea to extract maximum remaining reserves.

Together with Petoro and the other license partners, Statoil has worked hard to find a good solution for extending the life of the field to 2040.
A thorough evaluation of the "Snorre 2040" project has been carried out with detailed examination of two development concepts—a subsea development with continued use of the Snorre A and B platforms, or a development with a new platform tied in to Snorre A and B. 

"The platform solution is the best alternative for maximizing production and creating the greatest possible value," says Øystein Michelsen, Statoil executive vice president for the Norwegian shelf.

"Snorre 2040 is an important improved oil recovery (IOR) project and supports our ambition of achieving an average oil recovery rate of 60% from our fields on the Norwegian shelf."

Statoil is a world leader within IOR, with an average oil recovery rate of 50% from the Norwegian shelf.

Snorre field reserves are currently estimated at 1.55 billion barrels of oil. The original estimate when the plan for development and operation (PDO) was submitted in 1989 was about 760 million barrels of oil. Thanks to a number of IOR measures and use of new technology, recoverable reserves have more than doubled.

An important contribution to the increase in recoverable reserves came with the decision to install a second platform, Snorre B, on the northern part of the field, and to start reinjection of produced gas from the mid-1990s.

When the PDO was submitted, the estimated recovery rate was 25%. Today the estimated recovery rate is 47%, but Snorre has an ambition of implementing additional IOR measures that will enable the field to increase the recovery rate to 55%.

Øystein Michelsen emphasizes that more time will be needed to mature the development solution and make the decision basis more robust.
"Snorre 2040 is a huge project with significant investments, but it will also yield substantial value. Thorough preliminary work is important to arrive at the best possible solution. We are also seeing marked rising costs in our industry and we must ensure that value creation is optimal," says Michelsen.

"The change in the petroleum tax rules that was adopted in May also undermines the financial conditions of Snorre 2040, which means that we have to spend more time on maturing the project," says the executive vice president.

The final development concept decision is scheduled for the first quarter of 2015.

A new drilling and processing platform will also facilitate tie-in of new discoveries in the area. These are resources that might otherwise have ended up being not profitable to recover.

The partners in the Snorre license are Statoil (33.27556%), Petoro (30.0%), ExxonMobil E&P Norway (17.44596%), Idemitsu Petroleum Norge (9.6%), RWE Dea Norge (8.57108%) and Core Energy (1.1074%).

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN) announces it has been awarded a five-year contract for a newbuild dynamically positioned ultra-deepwater drillship by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Shipyard delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2016. After customer acceptance, the contract is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2016, contributing an estimated revenue backlog of approximately $1.1 billion, excluding mobilization. Excluding capitalized interest, the capital investment for the newbuild drillship is an estimated $725 million. Capital costs include the shipyard contract; project management; all owner-furnished equipment; capital spares and inventory; and all costs associated with operational readiness.

Featuring state-of-the-art equipment, the newbuild drillship will include Transocean's patented dual-activity drilling technology that allows for parallel drilling operations. The vessel will be outfitted with two 15,000 psi blowout preventers (BOPs) which are expected to reduce non-productive time between wells. The drillship will be able to accommodate a future upgrade to a 20,000 psi BOP when it becomes available from the OEM suppliers. The rig will also feature an industry-leading 2.5-million-pound hook load capacity, a variable deckload capacity of 23,000 metric tons, enhanced well-completion capabilities and diesel engines configured to comply with anticipated Tier III International Maritime Organization (IMO) emissions standards. The drillship is designed and outfitted to operate in water depths of up to 12,000 feet and drill wells to 40,000 feet. In addition, the drillship will have accommodations for 240 people.

Construction of the newbuild drillship is expected to commence during the fourth quarter of 2014 at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. facility in Okpo, South Korea, where Transocean's five Enhanced Enterprise-Class rigs were built and where the company currently has six other ultra-deepwater drillships under construction.
"We are delighted to continue our partnership with Chevron in pioneering ultra-deepwater drillships that in the past have set world records and achieved strong utilization with time-saving efficiencies," said Steven L. Newman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transocean Ltd. "Further, the addition of this latest newbuild drillship demonstrates the execution of our asset strategy and commitment to increasing our exposure to high-specification floaters with industry-leading capabilities."

NYC-based PIRA Energy Group Reports that October’s oil demand weakness is deceptive and product demand will soon get a substantial lift to propel refining margins higher. On the week, U.S. commercial oil stocks fell, while Japanese crude runs have begun to rise and crude stocks build. Specifically, PIRA’s analysis of the oil market fundamentals has revealed the following:

October’s Oil Demand Weakness is Deceptive

PIRA projects world GDP growth will accelerate next year and believes with tail risks minimized and fiscal constraints declining, the risks to growth are to the upside. October's oil demand weakness is deceptive and product demand will soon get a substantial lift to propel refining margins higher and crude oil prices as well after a couple more weeks of softness. 

U.S. Commercial Inventories Fall W/W

Overall U.S. commercial inventories fell the week ending October 25, as a very strong increase in reported demand pulled product stocks down, leading to the largest weekly inventory decline of the year. This more than offset the crude stock increase. Crude stock increases will begin to moderate and turn into inventory declines as imports decline and runs increase in November. 

Japanese Runs Rise Out Post-Turnaround, Margins Still Soft

Japanese runs have begun to rise and implied crude imports moved higher building crude stocks. Gasoline demand decreased and stocks built slightly. Gasoil demand increased, stocks drew and remain just off record lows. Kerosene demand surprisingly was strong which produced a small stock draw. Refinery margins remain soft and were slightly lower on the week.

August DOE Monthly Revisions

Compared with the weekly preliminary data, total demand was revised 110 MB/D lower, with gasoline and distillate decreasing 31 MB/D and 21 MB/D, respectively. Compared to 2012 levels, demand has declined a modest 65 MB/D, or -0.3%. Kero-jet demand clearly outperformed, up 3.7%, while gasoline underperformed -0.7%. Total commercial stocks were revised higher by 2.7 MMBbls, with crude being raised 3.3 MMBbls. 

October Weather: All Regions Warmer than Normal

October turned out to be warmer than both the 10-year and the 30-year normal for the three major OECD markets. All three markets came in warmer than the 10-year normal and combined HDDs were 15% below the 10-year normal and 23% warmer than the 30-year normal. 

Competition for LPG Supply is Intensifying

The competition for product is intensifying. A frenzy is occurring in the U.S. mid-continent as farmers seek propane for drying the quite large and wet corn crop. On-going supply issues from the North Sea, strong pull from Latin America as well as seasonal and other needs for Asia and Europe are all pressuring markets, leading to higher prices. 

Corn, Ethanol, and RIN Prices Fall in October

U.S. corn and ethanol prices declined in October, as expected. Ethanol manufacturing cash margins remained healthy as the market was tight with four-year low inventories. 

Ethanol Output Soars

U.S. ethanol production rose for the third consecutive week, surpassing 900 MB/D for the first time since June 2012. Output was 911 MB/D, up from 897 MB/D in the prior week as the 2013/2014 corn harvest is more than half complete in several Corn Belt states and more feedstock is available. 

Biofuel Output Increases in 2013

After years of rapid growth, world biofuels production was flat in 2012. Growth has resumed this year, boosted by increases in Brazilian ethanol manufacture and U.S. biodiesel production, along with modest gains in other countries. 

The information above is part of PIRA Energy Group's weekly Energy Market Recap, which alerts readers to PIRA’s current analysis of energy markets around the world as well as the key economic and political factors driving those markets.

Environmental Drilling Solutions (EDS), a leading provider of drilling waste management, solids control and backyard management solutions to the oil and gas industry, is pleased to announce two senior-level additions to its management team: John Meckert as chief executive officer (CEO) and John Marty III as business development manager.

Meckert  (left)joins EDS with 23 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, primarily in oilfield services and drilling. He has spent most of his career at various divisions of Nabors Industries, the world's largest land driller. Most recently, he led the services and rentals division at Canrig Drilling Technology and served as the senior vice president and general manager at Peak USA Energy Services. He has worked in operational management and financial leadership positions both domestically and internationally and began his career with Conoco as a petroleum engineer. Meckert holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State University.

"John brings with him a tremendous wealth of experience in the drilling industry – he understands our customers' needs as well as how to run a first-class organization," said Kirby Arceneaux, board member and former CEO of EDS.

Marty (right) joins EDS with more than 30 years of experience in the drilling fluid and solids control segment of the oil and gas industry. As the business development manager, Marty will focus on developing new business opportunities to generate corporate growth while enhancing business activities. Most recently, he served as U.S. general manager, solids control, for Strad Energy Services. Marty is an active member of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

"I am pleased to welcome these two individuals to Environmental Drilling Solutions," said Chad Hollier, EDS founder and president. "We are fortunate to find such great leaders, and I am confident they will help us continue to provide top level solutions and services."

Nine production platforms will be completed this year, three 
of them are already on stream

Petrobras will receive nine production units in a single year for the first time ever. The installed production capacity of the platforms amounts to 1 million barrels per day and the units coming on stream will be essential for the company to double its current production and achieve the target of 4.2 million barrels of oil per day for 2020. The information was highlighted by the Company's president, Maria das Graças Silva Foster, during a lunch-lecture at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC Brazil 2013) in Rio de Janeiro.

Of the nine units starting production this year, the President pointed out that the FPSOs Cidade de São Paulo, Cidade de Itajaí and Cidade de Paraty had already come on stream. Another two units - the FPSO P-63 and P-55 - are already in place and the P-58 should leave the Rio Grande ship yard going towards Parque das Baleias later this month. Besides these, the P-61, the TAD (Tender Assisted Drilling) which was built in China, and the P-62 will arrive at their final locations in December, the President said on Tuesday afternoon (October 29), in the session called "Planning and Management of Offshore Opportunities in Brazil: the Petrobras Perspective". "In five or six years time, The "P" for production will be more important for us than the "E" for exploration", the President said, comparing the effort and investment used to increase the Oil Company's production with exploration activities aimed at new discoveries.

The President also highlighted the growth of the shipbuilding industry in recent years. "We are very proud of the shipyards in Brazil. 10 years ago, a lot of people laughed when we mentioned local content", she said. "In addition to the 17 stationary production units that are currently under construction in Brazil, we have 28 rigs and 41 transport ships being built in Brazil. To meet this (production) curve, we have 12 more contracts to do", said the executive. For her, one of the reasons for the success of the Brazilian shipyards is the association with experienced foreign companies, a criterion that has become a Petrobras demand to sign contracts.

Exploration success in the pre-salt is "spectacular", the President said

The President celebrated the success of pre-salt exploration, which reached 100% in 2013. She revealed that 13 wells have been drilled in the pre-salt this year, and the Company has found oil in all of them, which the executive rated as "spectacular". Altogether, 144 exploratory wells have been drilled in the pre-salt attaining an 82% success rate. "Our exploration success is impressive. If we count offshore and onshore wells, we have a 65% rate, which is far higher than the global average", she compared. She pointed out that Brazil accounted for 62% of large deepwater discoveries world-wide between 2007 and 2012.

On the newly auctioned Libra area, in which Petrobras has a 40% stake, the President expects the first oil to be extracted in 2020. "The regulatory framework (production sharing) is clear, objective and unambiguous", she said, noting that in 2017, when investments in Libra will be more significant, Petrobras will be producing 750,000 barrels per day more than the current 2 million barrels of oil produced daily today, which will increase the Company's cash.

Graça Foster also highlighted the importance of partnerships with Brazilian universities and research institutes around the world: "We have spectacular universities in Brazil, we have an intelligence network and we have invested heavily in technology in Brazil". Finally, she talked about the importance of investing in professional training, mainly in the middle level, such as technicians, supervisors and workshop masters: "Middle level training is a major bottleneck", she said.

Recent Alaskan bill seeks to reduce tax burden on larger oil and gas operations

Incentive could result in increased production to mitigate North Slope declines, says analyst

Uncertainty surrounds the outlook for Alaska’s fiscal terms as a referendum seeking to repeal a new bill, which imposes a flat 35% production tax rate, will be held in 2014, says a new report from research and consulting firm GlobalData.

According to the company’s latest report*, Alaska has made several changes to the fiscal terms governing its upstream oil and gas operations in the past decade, mostly through amendments to the production tax and the introduction of a vast range of tax credits, resulting in a relatively unstable regime over this period.

Alaska’s new production tax, as laid out in Senate Bill 21 (SB 21), seeks to reduce the tax burden on larger oil and gas operations in the hope that this will promote exploration and development activity in the region, thereby boosting its economic growth and employment.

However, opposition to the tax change comes from those who believe it will significantly affect state finances, by reducing the tax take, and low-margin oil and gas producers in the state for whom the tax burden will increase.

Evan Turner, GlobalData’s Lead Analyst covering Upstream Oil & Gas, says: With almost nine months to go until the referendum is held, there is a high degree of uncertainty around the likely outcome of the vote. Currently, polls suggest that the vote will be close, with no clear majority yet formed on either side of the argument.

However, given that it is the larger producers who are likely to gain from the tax change, it is expected that the no campaign may benefit from considerable financial support, so that it can promote a message of economic and employment gains. For instance, BP Alaska has announced that due to the tax changes, it plans to add $1 billion of investment for the next five years.”

GlobalData expects this referendum to be the key determinant of the medium-term outlook for Alaska’s  upstream oil and gas fiscal regime.

Turner says: “If SB 21 is repealed, the tax will revert back to Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share (ACES) system, with rates varying from 25-75%. If not, the new flat rate of 35% will mean an improvement in the investment climate for large oil and gas operations and the possible deterioration for smaller operators.

Incentivizing larger operators in the state to increase investment and the drilling of wells should result in increased production to mitigate North Slope declines, concludes the analyst.

*Alaska Upstream Fiscal and Regulatory Report

In his new position, Arnaud Breuillac will report to Yves-Louis Darricarrère, Upstream President and Member of Total's Executive Committee.
Paris, November 4, 2013 - Effective January 1, 2014, Arnaud Breuillac is appointed President, Exploration & Production at Total. He will report to Yves Louis Darricarrère, Upstream President and member of Total's Executive Committee.

Effective October 1, 2014, Mr. Breuillac will join Total's Executive Committee, alongside Christophe de Margerie, Philippe Boisseau, Yves-Louis Darricarrère, Jean-Jacques Guilbaud, Patrick de La Chevardière and Patrick Pouyanné.

Arnaud Breuillac is a graduate of French engineering school Ecole Centrale de Lyon. He joined Total in 1982.

He has held various positions in Exploration & Production in France, Abu Dhabi, the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Angola and in Refining in France.
Between 2004 and 2006, he served as Vice President, Iran, in the Middle East Divison. 
In December 2006, he was appointed to Exploration & Production's Management Committee in his position as Senior Vice President, Continental Europe and Central Asia.

On July 1, 2010, he was appointed Senior Vice President, Middle East in Exploration & Production. On January 1, 2011, he was appointed to Total's Management Committee.

Songa Offshore SE has received the resignation of the company's Chief Financial Officer, Geir Karlsen. He will, until the end of 2013, remain at the Company's disposal as Executive Vice President. Executive Vice President Jan Rune Steinsland has been appointed as new Chief Financial Officer as from today.
"Since joining Songa in April of this year Jan Rune has contributed greatly to the strengthening of our financial control and reporting structures. Jan Rune commands a great deal of respect in our industry and I am extremely pleased to have someone with his knowledge, experience and strength in this role" says Bjørnar Iversen, CEO.

Mr. Steinsland will be based in Oslo at the company's Oslo Office and takes up his position with effect from today 4 November.

Jan Rune Steinsland has significant international industry experience and a strong track record from executive positions. From 2006, he has held the position as CFO at Ocean Rig, in period of great expansion and development, including an IPO and listing on NASDAQ. Prior to that, he was CFO at Acta Holding ASA, a position he held for six years. From 1988 to 2000, Jan Rune Steinsland had several management positions at ExxonMobil, including Financial Analyst, Financial Reporting Manager, Vice President Accounting and Audit Advisor. Jan Rune Steinsland holds a Master of Business Administration from University of St. Gallen and is Certified European Financial Analyst (AFA) from The Norwegian Society of Financial Analysts/Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration.

Approximately 20,000 Houston residents attended the energy education event

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA) was a proud participant of Energy Day 2013, an event that drew over 20,000 attendees to Hermann Square in downtown Houston. The day-long family festival was oriented towards K-12 students in an effort to raise awareness of energy-related careers and new energy innovations. CSA demonstrated its ocean sound and protected species monitoring capabilities to throngs of eager young visitors who regularly crowded the exhibition booth. Of particular interest were CSA's three interactive science stations: a demonstration of how marine mammals utilize blubber to stay warm in frigid ocean waters, an ocean sound presentation that allowed participants to hear the underwater calls of marine species, and a hydrophone exhibit that let the children visualize on a monitor how their voice would sound beneath the waves.

CSA project scientist Heidi Etter noted, "We feel that the importance of Energy Day resonates not only in the education of our youth, but also in bringing awareness to the community about the various aspects of science and technology." In addition to this community awareness, CSA also called attention to the continuing environmental efforts made by the industry. "For us, it is important to demonstrate how diligently the energy industry and the environmental sciences sector work together to understand the needs of marine ecosystems," said CSA senior oceanographer Jordan Krumm.

In addition to providing a fun-filled family afternoon, Energy Day was aimed at addressing the mounting shortage of qualified industry workers. "Many of our most experienced workers are or will be approaching retirement age soon, and there is a real need within the industry to have qualified people to take their place," said an Occidental Petroleum Corporation spokesperson commenting on the impending brain drain within the industry. Numerous Energy Day exhibits hoped to ignite the interest of the young minds in attendance and educate them on the great potential offered by a career involving the energy industry.

CSA has positioned itself to help support the energy industry's need by fostering environmental education and awareness. As part of this effort, CSA enthusiastically welcomes the opportunity to participate in events such as Energy Day as a means of providing a "hands on" experience that allows the public to visualize and better understand environmental stewardship. As the energy industry expands, CSA stands ready to help maintain its growing environmental education needs.

For more information on CSA, its services, or its participation in future events, visit www.csaocean.com or call 772-219-3000.

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. specializes in consulting services for Federal, State, and private industry clients in multidisciplinary projects, integrating science and technology to evaluate environmental activities throughout the world. CSA offers a wide variety of services related to environmental management and community planning to support clients working in marine, estuarine, wetland, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats throughout the United States and overseas.