George Economou, CEO of Ocean Rig UDW, a provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services, expects 2016 will be challenging, and it will be tough obtaining new contracts for drilling rigs. The driller has posted a net income of $138.4 million for the third quarter of 2015. This is a rise compared to th
Songa Offshore, an offshore drilling contractor, has informed that its second Cat D drilling rig, Songa Endurance, arrived in Norway on December 3, 2015. The rig was expected to arrive in Norway in late November. According to the drilling contractor’s latest fleet status report, Songa Endurance has
The video above has been shared by the Azeri ministry of emergency situations. The footage, posted on YouTube on Monday afternoon, shows several offshore vessels fighting the fire aboard the Socar-operated Gunashli 10 platform in the Caspian Sea which burst into flames on Friday. The firefighting ef
Songa Offshore’s first Cat D rig, Songa Equinox, has started drilling operations at the Troll Field, offshore Norway, under its eight-year drilling contract with Statoil. The rig is now on operating rate, Songa Offshore, an offshore drilling contractor, reported on Monday. The rig’s dayrate with Sta
Dead bodies of six offshore workers, which went missing following the explosion of Socar’s Caspian Sea platform on Friday, have been found. According to the Azeri ministry for emergency situations, two bodies have been brought to shore, and the other four are expected to be recovered soon. This now
Baker Hughes, one of the world’s largest oilfield services companies, reported on Monday that the international offshore rig count for November 2015 has dipped when compared to the same period last year and October 2015 rig count. According to Baker Hughes’ report, the international offshore rig cou
Maersk Drilling has been awarded a contract with Maersk Oil for the jack-up rig Maersk Guardian for accommodation on various fields in the Danish part of the North Sea. According to Maersk Drilling, the firm contract duration is 5 years with a start date in September 2016. The contract includes two
Independent Oil and Gas plc (IOG), the North Sea-focused oil and gas company, has secured funds and set a spud date for its Skipper appraisal well, in the UK North Sea. Namely, on December 4, 2015, the company and its subsidiary IOG North Sea Limited entered into two loan agreements with GE O&G and
The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has given Statoil Petroleum its consent to use the COSLInnovator rig for drilling, completion, intervention, workover and well plugging on the Troll field, off Norway. In a letter sent to Statoil, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway gave the company i
The Netherlands-based contractor SPT Offshore has received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from Muhibbah Engineering for the detailed design of the suction pile foundation, design supervision of the jacket and full transportation and installation (T&I) of the Ophir wellhead platform. Muhibbah is the Engine
Prosafe, the world’s largest provider of offshore accommodation rigs, has raised NOK 590 million in gross proceeds through a private placement of shares.
Songa Offshore, a Norway-based midwater drilling contractor, has received an approval from the Norwegian safety watchdog for the use of first out of its four Cat D drilling rigs, the Songa Equinox. Songa Offshore took delivery of the Songa Equinox from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering on Jun
Noble Corporation, a UK-headquartered offshore drilling contractor, might lay off up to 130 employees. According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the state agency charged with overseeing and providing workforce development services, Noble is planning to reduce its workforce by up to 130 workers st
Transocean has secured a contract for the semi-submersible drilling rig Transocean Arctic. It will be used for drilling in the Alvheim and Volund fields, offshore Norway. The news was revealed on Monday by Det norske oljeselskap, a Norwegian oil company for which the rig will be operating. According
