The Covid-19 epidemic and the ongoing oil price war have ravaged global energy markets during the last two months, and offshore drilling, in particular, is among the most affected industry segments, according to energy intelligence firm Rystad Energy.
At least nine of the world’s top planned exploration wells for 2020 are at risk of being suspended as a result of the combined effect on oil and gas activities of the Covid-19 virus and the oil price war, a Rystad Energy impact analysis shows.
Shell has awarded a contract extension to the Petrojarl Knarr FPSO owned by Altera Infrastructure, previously known as Teekay Offshore. However, some of the terms of the contract have been changed, including a reduction in dayrate.
An independent competent persons report for Energean’s Karish North field, located offshore Israel, has revealed a significant uplift to the company’s previous best estimate of the field’s volumes and submitted an addendum to the field development plan.
Exploration activity offshore Norway has been reduced and 10 wildcat wells previously planned for this year will be delayed due to the coronavirus crisis and the sharp decline in oil price.
Neptune Energy has reported that the load out of the 740-tonne topside module for the Nova brownfield project in the Norwegian North Sea has been completed ahead of the installation offshore with the world’s largest semi-sub crane vessel.
Brazilian oil and gas company Petrobras has identified the presence of oil in an exploration well of the Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde block, located in the Campos Basin in Brazil.
Oil and gas company Wintershall Dea Norge has made an oil discovery near the Maria field in the Norwegian Sea.
Oil and gas company Global Petroleum has agreed to license pre-existing 3D seismic data in its 2011A (PEL0094) offshore Namibia Block.
Norwegian oil major Equinor has encountered oil in the Monument exploration well in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
Aker BP has made a minor gas discovery southwest of the Skarv field in the Norwegian Sea.
The number of active offshore rigs in the U.S. remained unchanged over the last week, according to a Friday report by Baker Hughes Company.
Brazilian oil and gas giant Petrobras has identified the presence of oil in the pioneer well of the Uirapuru block, located in the Santos Basin pre-salt.
The worldwide offshore rig count in March 2020 has dropped four rigs sequentially and year-over-year, according to rig count reports by Baker Hughes Company.
