Reliance Industries Confident of Unlocking Field Potential with BP

- Reliance Industries Confident of Unlocking Field Potential with BP

Friday, September 09, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
NEW DELHI
by Rakesh Sharma & Saurabh Chaturvedi

Reliance Industries Ltd. (500325.BY) Friday said it was confident of unlocking the full potential of its prolific east coast gas field and other blocks with the help of its partner BP Plc (BP).

The country's largest private explorer is fighting a decline in gas output at its D-6 Block in Krishna Godavri Basin. Reliance on Aug. 30 closed a deal with U.K.-based BP Plc to sell a 30% stake in its 21 oil and gas exploration blocks in India.

Last month, India's junior oil minister R.P.N. Singh said that gas production from Reliance's KG-D6 block during the April-June quarter was 31% below plan. Reliance's average gas production during April-June from the block was 48.60 million standard cubic meters per day.

Based on the approved field development plan, the output should have been 70.39 mmscmd, the minister said.

India's federal auditor Thursday said Reliance Industries had violated the KG D6 production-sharing contract with the government.

The Comptroller and Auditor General said Reliance initially estimated its capital expenditure for the D-1 and D-3 gas discoveries in the block at $2.4 billion, but revised it to $8.8 billion. The company also started implementing the revised plans before the government approved them.

The Mukesh Ambani-controlled company said it had engaged global consultants Ernst & Young, IPA Inc. and Daniel Johnston & Co., who didn't find any irregularity in its capex and management of the block.

Reliance said it commenced gas production from KG-D6 in six-and-a-half years from discovery, in comparison to the global average of nine to 10 years for similar deep-water production facilities.

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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Weather Watch: BP Evacuates Nonessential Personnel from GOM Platforms

- Weather Watch: BP Evacuates Nonessential Personnel from GOM Platforms

Thursday, September 08, 2011
Rigzone Staff
by Saaniya Bangee

BP has evacuated nonessential personnel from three of its production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico due to Tropical Storm Nate.

BP spokesman Daren Beaudo said personnel have been evacuated from the Mad Dog, Holstein and Atlantis platforms in the southern Green Canyon section of the Gulf of Mexico.

The storm is expected to move toward the southern tip of Texas but will not make landfall until late Sunday or Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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Reliance, BP Finalize $7.2B Acquisition

- Reliance, BP Finalize $7.2B Acquisition

Thursday, September 08, 2011
Reliance Industries Ltd.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and BP announced the completion of BP's acquisition of a 30 percent stake in 21 oil and gas production sharing contracts (PSCs) that Reliance operates in India, including the producing KG D6 block.

This significant step will commence the planned alliance which will operate across the gas value chain in India, from exploration and production to distribution and marketing. The completion of the deal delivers one of the largest ever foreign direct investments into India.

The two companies will also form a 50:50 joint venture for the sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the creation of infrastructure for receiving, transporting and marketing natural gas.

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, said, "The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realize the true potential of India's hydrocarbon reserves. The globally renowned expertise of BP and the in-depth domestic experience of Reliance make for a formidable alliance which will deliver unparalleled value for the country in its pursuit of energy security."

"This is the beginning of what we expect to be a long and successful working partnership with Reliance, building on the strengths of each company," said Bob Dudley, BP group chief executive. "This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term
value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets."

BP will pay RIL an aggregate consideration of US $7.2 billion subject to completion adjustments for the interests to be acquired in the 21 production sharing contracts. Further performance payments of up to US $1.8 billion could be paid based on exploration success that results in development of commercial discoveries.

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BP Appeals Russian Court Ruling That Permitted Office Search

- BP Appeals Russian Court Ruling That Permitted Office Search

Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
ABERDEEN
by Alexis Flynn

BP said Wednesday its subsidiary BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd. is appealing a Russian court order that allowed bailiffs to search the company's Moscow office last week.

BP said the raid by authorities, to seize documents related to a lawsuit filed by a minority shareholder in BP's Russian joint venture TNK-BP, was unlawful as BP EOC had no connection with TNK-BP.

The minority shareholder is seeking compensation for losses following the failure of BP's Arctic exploration agreement with Rosneft.

"BP EOC believes that the court decision contradicts the applicable Russian legislation and is misconceived," said the U.K. energy giant.

"The request to BP EOC to hand over documents is based on an inaccurate and false premise and should not be allowed to stand," BP said in a statement. "The ruling authorizes a search for documents which would allow the plaintiff's representatives to gain access to almost all corporate documentation of BP EOC, which cannot be lawful or reasonable."

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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BP Unleashes Additional Reserves at Mad Dog Field

- BP Unleashes Additional Reserves at Mad Dog Field

Wednesday, September 07, 2011
BP plc

BP announced the drilling of a successful appraisal well in a previously untested northern segment of the Mad Dog field in the US Gulf of Mexico.

The well results confirm a significant resource extension for the Mad Dog Field complex, which includes the existing field, in production since 2005, and appraisal drilling of the Mad Dog South field in 2008 and 2009. Pending confirmation through future appraisal drilling, the total hydrocarbons initially in place in the Mad Dog field complex are now estimated to be up to four billion barrels of oil equivalent.

The well, drilled by BHP Billiton on behalf of the unit operator BP, is located on Gulf of Mexico Green Canyon block 738 approximately 140 miles (225 kilometers) south of Grand Isle, LA., in about 4,500 feet (1,371 meters) of water. The well encountered about 166 net feet (50 meters) of hydrocarbons in the objective Miocene hydrocarbon-bearing sands and discovered an oil column of more than 300 feet (91 meters). Transocean's semisub GSF Development Driller I was used to drill the Mad Dog well.

"With these additional hydrocarbon resources north of the main field, Mad Dog has been firmly established as a giant field in BP's Gulf of Mexico portfolio, rivaling Thunder Horse in size of resource," said Bob Dudley, BP group chief executive. "Working with the industry and regulators, we will apply our enhanced standards of safety, reliability and compliance to all of our Gulf activities as we continue to provide important jobs and energy to the nation."

BP maintains a 60.5 percent working interest in Mad Dog. BHP Billiton has a 23.9 percent interest, Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiary Union Oil Company of California, has a 15.6 percent interest.

Due to the materiality of the Mad Dog South finds in 2009, BP has been advancing development options to increase production from Mad Dog by adding another spar production facility with a production capacity of 120,000–140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed).

"Coupled with the recent exploration success at the discovery at the Moccasin prospect, located in Keathley Canyon, the Mad Dog result re-emphasizes the exploration and development potential of the Gulf of Mexico and the region’s ability to continue to deliver material projects for BP," Dudley added.

On Sept. 6, 2011 Chevron Corporation announced the Moccasin discovery in the Lower Tertiary play on Keathley Canyon block 736. BP has a 43.75 percent working interest in the Moccasin prospect. The prospect is operated by Chevron U.S.A. Inc., also with a 43.75 percent interest, and the co-owner is Samson Offshore Company with 12.5 percent interest.

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Wood Group Lands Engineering Gig at BP's Quad 204 Proj.

- Wood Group Lands Engineering Gig at BP's Quad 204 Proj.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011
John Wood Group plc

Wood Group Kenny has been appointed by BP to provide engineering design and project management services for the subsea, umbilical, riser and flowline (SURF) infrastructure for BP's Quad 204 redevelopment project West of Shetland. Wood Group Kenny is responsible for the design of $1.2 billion worth of subsea, pipeline and riser infrastructure for the project. The dedicated engineering team is already 50 strong and will expand to 75 in the near future.

Mike Ogden, Wood Group Kenny's project manager for Quad 204 said, "This project presents significant technical challenges integrating new infrastructure within an existing brownfield development. Specific issues include proving the remaining or extended design life of existing systems, challenging metocean conditions and the inclusion of 21 new risers, 15 new flowlines, a range of structures, a re-designed umbilical distribution and control system and 25 new wells into a restricted area already containing 52 wells. WGK are responsible for engineering the entire SURF system from the trees to the connections within the new FPSO and supporting BP through the delivery, testing, installation and commissioning of these systems."

Andrew Train, BP's Project Director, Offshore Activities said, "The recent sanction of the Quad 204 project represents a very significant investment for BP and its Partners in the North Sea. While the industry at large has been aware of the replacement FPSO, the scale and complexity of redevelopment associated with the subsea system has gone relatively unnoticed. In many ways it is likely that redevelopment of the subsea system will be larger than the original development scheme. To manage a project of this scale and complexity and attract the best talent in the industry we have co-located a growing BP and Wood Group Kenny team in a project office in the center of Aberdeen. This office will be a hub of activity allowing detailed design work to be progressed by Wood Group Kenny and facilitate interaction with key suppliers and contractors."

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BP Announces North Sea Development

- BP Announces North Sea Development



Sep 6, 2011

BP (NYSE:BP) announced an agreement to invest up to $1.1 billion to progress a project to develop the Kinnoul reservoir in the central North Sea.

Kinnoul contains 45 million barrels of oil equivalent which will be connected to BP's Andrew platform and enable production to be extended to 2020 and beyond. Production from Kinnoul is forecast to peak at 45,000 barrels per day.

BP (NYSE:BP) has a potential upside of 54.2% based on a current price of $35.9 and an average consensus analyst price target of $55.37.

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BP Gets Govt OK for Kinnoull Field Development

- BP Gets Govt OK for Kinnoull Field Development

Tuesday, September 06, 2011
BP plc

On behalf of its co-venturers BP announced an agreement to invest up to £700 million to progress a project to develop the Kinnoull reservoir in the central North Sea.

Kinnoull is the largest of three reservoirs that are being developed as part of the Andrew Area developments project, and contains 45 million barrels of oil equivalent. The reservoir will be connected to BP's Andrew platform and enable production to be extended to 2020 and beyond.

Production from Kinnoull is forecast to peak at 45,000 barrels per day and be exported via the existing Forties pipeline system to Kinneil and the CATS pipeline system to Teesside.

Trevor Garlick, Regional President for BP's North Sea business said, "The Kinnoull project is a further demonstration of BP's vision to sustain a material and high quality business in the North Sea region. It is also a showcase for the outstanding subsea expertise that exists within the UK. At its peak the project will create employment for over 1,000 people in the UK."

Charles Hendry, Minister of state for Energy and Climate Change said, "I am pleased to see that BP is taking forward the development of the Kinnoull field. With around 90% of the development involving UK firms, this is a real big win for our domestic supply chain and shows that the thriving North Sea oil and gas sector continues to deliver economic benefit. I hope major global players continue to harness the expertise of UK companies as new developments come forward."

In order to access the new reservoir, the project will install a new subsea system and caisson onto the Andrew platform. The backbone of the subsea system will be 4 subsea bundles with a total length of 28 km - the longest bundle system in the world - which will carry the fluids to the Andrew platform for processing. The bundle system is being fabricated by Subsea 7 at its facility in Wick, Scotland.

To accept the new Kinnoull production fluids, and to facilitate the production from the Lower Cretaceous reservoir below the Andrew reservoir, the Andrew platform will undergo major modifications including the addition of a 750 ton process module. Construction will be completed over 2 years, with the flotel Borgholm Dolphin on location throughout. The Andrew platform is expected to be shut down for 18 months during this campaign during which time operational work will also be undertaken to maintain the efficiency and integrity of the existing Andrew platform facilities.

The new facilities are scheduled to commence production in 2013.

BP owns 77.06%, with other interests as follows: Eni (16.67%); Summit (6.27%)


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BP Moscow Office Resumes Work After Raid; Documents Sealed

- BP Moscow Office Resumes Work After Raid; Documents Sealed

Monday, September 05, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
MOSCOW
by William Mauldin

BP's Moscow office resumed work Monday following a raid last week by Russian court officials, a spokesman in Moscow for the U.K. oil giant said.

Documents gathered by the court bailiffs are currently sealed inside the office, and no papers have been removed, said the spokesman, Vladimir Buyanov.

BP said Friday that the search had been halted for 10 days and that it would challenge the operation in court.

Russian bailiffs on Wednesday and Thursday entered the BP office with special police armed with automatic weapons, as part of a search requested in a $3 billion lawsuit by investors in a traded unit of the oil company's Russian joint venture.

BP has called the lawsuit "absurd" and the search "unfounded" and directed at the wrong unit of the company.

The minority investors' attorneys said the search was carried out according to Russian law, regardless of which BP unit was searched.

The minority investors are seeking documents related to BP's Russia joint venture, TNK-BP Ltd., and to a failed Arctic deal between BP and state-controlled oil company Rosneft, as part of a lawsuit brought in Siberia's Tyumen Region Arbitration Court.

The minority investors, who live in Tyumen, have filed suits against BP and two of the U.K. company's executives at TNK-BP, claiming at least $3 billion in lost opportunities as a result of the failed Arctic deal with Rosneft.

The raid suggests BP's difficulties in Russia are likely to continue despite its efforts to put the fiasco of the Rosneft deal behind it, energy analysts said. BP initially disclosed the landmark alliance with Rosneft in January but found a deal blocked by opposition from its billionaire partners in TNK-BP Ltd.

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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Halliburton Filed Claims Against BP In Texas State Court

- Halliburton Filed Claims Against BP In Texas State Court



Sep 2, 2011

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) filed claims against BP (NYSE:BP) in Texas state court for negligent misrepresentation, business disparagement and defamation related to the April 20, 2010, Macondo incident.

The company also moved to amend its claims against BP in the multi-district litigation in New Orleans, Louisiana, to include fraud.

Halliburton has a potential upside of 66.9% based on a current price of $43.02 and an average consensus analyst price target of $71.79.

Full news
- Halliburton Sues BP In Texas - Alleges Misrepresentation <<


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BP Briefs on Russia Office Raid

- BP Briefs on Russia Office Raid

Friday, September 02, 2011
BP plc

On Thursday night the bailiff of the Federal Bailiff Service (FSSP) for Moscow passed a resolution to postpone the execution of enforcement procedures against BP Exploration Operating Company Limited (BP EOC) until September 10, 2011. The postponement was introduced in response to a petition filed by BP EOC regarding the necessity to get clarification from the Arbitration Court of Tyumen Region. The required clarifications concern the judicial act which was the basis for the executive actions.

BP EOC believes that the Court Decision which allowed the inspection and copying of documents in the Moscow office of the company contradicts the applicable Russian legislation, contains outrageous requirements and was made in support of an unfounded lawsuit. BP EOC is not a defendant in the legal claim by TNK-BP Holding minority shareholders and is neither a direct nor an indirect shareholder of TNK-BP Holding. The keywords "oil" and "gas", on which the search in documents was authorized to be carried out, allows the seizure of virtually all corporate documentation of BP EOC, including confidential documents.

In addition, the Arbitration Court of Tyumen ordered the bailiffs to allow the representatives of Andrei Prokhorov, a minority shareholder of TNK-BP, to participate in the examination and confiscation of documents and then to turn them over to such representatives instead of the court. BP EOC believes that this process has been a misuse of the Russian Arbitration Procedure Code.

The decision taken by the bailiffs will allow BP EOC time to appeal against the decision of the Arbitration Court of Tyumen region under normal conditions and to require the complete cancellation of any enforcement proceedings under the unfounded lawsuit by Andrei Prokhorov.

At present, all examined documents of BP EOC remain in office in a sealed cabinet. The company expects to resume normal operation of the office on Monday, September 5.

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Halliburton Sues BP In Texas - Alleges Misrepresentation

- Halliburton Files Lawsuit Against BP

Friday, September 02, 2011
Halliburton Co.

On September 1, 2011, Halliburton filed claims against BP in Texas state court for negligent misrepresentation, business disparagement and defamation related to the April 20, 2010, Macondo incident. Halliburton has also moved to amend its claims against BP in the multi-district litigation in New Orleans, Louisiana, to include fraud.

These allegations are based upon BP providing Halliburton with inaccurate information prior to performing cementing services on April 19, 2010, and BP's use of and omission of that information in subsequent public statements, filings and governmental investigations.

Halliburton has learned that BP provided Halliburton inaccurate information about the actual location of hydrocarbon zones in the Macondo well. The actual location of the hydrocarbon zones is critical information required prior to performing cementing services and is necessary to achieve desired cement placement.

Halliburton remains confident that all the work it performed with respect to the Macondo well was completed in accordance with BP's specifications for its well construction plan and instructions, and that Halliburton is fully indemnified under the contract.

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Halliburton Sues BP In Texas - Alleges Misrepresentation

Friday, September 02, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
by Melodie Warner

Halliburton filed a negligent misrepresentation, business disparagement and defamation lawsuit against BP in Texas state court related to the April 2010 Macondo explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Halliburton has also moved to amend its multi-district litigation in New Orleans to include fraud claims against BP.

The oilfield-services company alleges BP provided Halliburton with inaccurate information--such as the actual location of hydrocarbon zones in the Macondo well--before cementing services began on April 19, 2010. Halliburton also claims BP has used and omitted that information in subsequent public statements, filings and governmental investigations.

"This lawsuit is the latest attempt by Halliburton to divert attention from its role in the Deepwater Horizon incident and its failure to meet its responsibilities," BP said in a statement. The energy giant said it has accepted responsibility for responding to the spill and is accordingly paying costs and compensation. BP "expects other parties to accept their responsibilities and bear their share of the costs," the statement said.

Last fall, BP released a report that largely faulted Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, and Halliburton for last year's disastrous Gulf of Mexico oil spill. While government investigations have generally assigned blame to both BP and its contractors, Transocean disclosed an internal investigation in June that focused almost entirely on decisions made by BP.

Halliburton said Friday it remains confident that all the work it performed was completed in accordance with BP's specifications, and that Halliburton is fully indemnified under the contract.

Shares of Halliburton were trading 2.8% lower at $41.83 moments after the opening bell.

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.


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Commodity Corner: Crude Up on Weather Threat

- Commodity Corner: Crude Up on Weather Threat

Thursday, September 01, 2011
Rigzone Staff
by Saaniya Bangee

Despite shaky equities and a rising dollar, crude futures inched modestly higher Thursday on weather reports of a storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.

October oil added 12 cents to its final price tag, settling at $88.93 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil traded as low as $88.21 a barrel after an earlier intraday peak of $89.90.

The National Hurricane Center reported an 80 percent chance that a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico could develop into a tropical cyclone within the next 48 hours. Oil majors such as Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, Anadarko and BP have evacuated nine platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and shut in nearly 80,000 barrels of oil production, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. In addition, 127 million cubic feet per day of natural gas was also shut in.

In other forecasts, initial unemployment claims fell by 12,000 to 409,000 last week. Data reported by the Labor Department helped boost optimism about the economy.

Brent crude, which is used to price many international oil varieties, lost 56 cents to settle lower at $114.29 barrel on fresh concerns over Greece's debt problems. The intraday range for Brent was $113.89 to $115.31 a barrel on the ICE future exchange.

Natural gas for October delivery remained unchanged at $4.05 per thousand cubic feet Thursday.

Gasoline gained 1.64 cents for the first trading session for the October contract. Reformulated gasoline settled at $2.89 a gallon. Some East Coast refineries remain shut down due to Hurricane Irene. Prices fluctuated between $2.85 and $2.92 Thursday.

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BP Moscow Office Raided As Pressure In Russia Rises

- BP Moscow Office Raided As Pressure In Russia Rises

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
MOSCOW
by William Mauldin, Alexander Kolyandr & James Herron

Russian court officials Wednesday raided the Moscow office of BP in the latest setback for BP in Russia following the collapse of a proposed $16 billion share-swap and Arctic oil exploration deal with state-controlled Rosneft.

The raid comes only a day after Rosneft signed a deal with ExxonMobil to explore the same offshore Arctic fields and work together in the U.S. and other locations.

Russian bailiffs entered BP's Moscow office to examine documents requested in a $3 billion lawsuit filed by Siberia-based minority shareholders in BP's exchange-listed Russian joint venture, TNK-BP Holding, BP spokesman Vladimir Buyanov said.

BP's London office said there are "no legitimate grounds for such a raid" and that the "entity raided has no connection with the process in Tyumen," Siberia, said a BP London spokeswoman. The documents seized by bailiffs "are confidential and have no connection with any shareholder issues," she said.

BP shares were flat Wednesday at 397 pence at 1123 GMT, slightly underperforming the broader U.K index. Some analysts said the Exxon-Rosneft deal was a big negative for the company, but others said the disappointing demise of the venture was already priced into the shares.

The escalating tensions are reminiscent of 2008, when BP fought a bitter battle in TNK-BP over strategic control of the venture that spawned raids by immigration officials and harmed relations between Russia and the U.K.

Dmitry Chepurenko, a lawyer representing TNK-BP minority shareholders, said BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd. didn't comply with a court order to provide documents connected with the abortive BP-Rosneft partnership. Thus the court in Tyumen, where the minority shareholders are based, Monday ordered bailiffs to retrieve the documents from BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd., Chepurenko said in a statement.

BP holds its TNK-BP stake through a unit based outside of Russia, although the staff who work with BP work out of its Russian office, which is also home to BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd. unit, BP's Buyanov said.

Most of BP's approximately 120 Moscow employees left work Wednesday as requested by the bailiffs, leaving mainly legal staff and security to work with the officials, Buyanov added. BP Russia chief Jeremy Huck also left the office and currently remains in Russia, the spokesman said.

TNK-BP minority shareholders are seeking RUB87 billion ($3 billion) from BP due to alleged losses stemming from BP's failed tie-up with Rosneft.

The powerful Alfa-Access-Renova consortium of Soviet-born businessmen successfully blocked the BP-Rosneft deal using a clause in the TNK-BP Ltd shareholder agreement.

Lawyers for the TNK-BP minority shareholders, who live in Tyumen, where TNK-BP Holding is based, said they have no connection with the consortium of billionaires, known as AAR.

BP in 2008 fought a losing battle with AAR for control of TNK-BP, then led by current BP Chief Executive Robert Dudley. The conflict included court battles in Tyumen as well as the removal of BP staff from Russia. The acrimonious dispute was resolved only when BP ceded greater influence over the joint venture to its Russian partners and Dudley resigned as TNK-BP CEO.

In a separate case from the Tyumen arbitration, AAR this month said it has asked a Stockholm arbitration panel to issue a final ruling on whether BP breached the TNK-BP shareholder agreement.

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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BP Sees Russian Office Raids As 'Pressure' - Interfax

- BP Sees Russian Office Raids As 'Pressure' - Interfax

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
MOSCOW
by Ira Iosebashvili

Russian raids on BP's Moscow offices are a means of pressuring the company's business activities within the country, BP Russia head Jeremy Huck said Wednesday, Interfax reported.

The court decree to raid BP's office "has no legal basis," Huck said.

"The work of our office is paralyzed. We see these actions as an element of pressure on BP's business in Russia."

Earlier, Russian bailiffs entered a BP Moscow office to examine documents requested in a $3 billion lawsuit filed by Siberia-based minority shareholders in BP's Russian joint venture, TNK-BP Holding (TNBP.RS).

Huck said he expected the raids to continue until the end of the week.

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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BP, Reliance Make India Alliance Official

- BP, Reliance Make India Alliance Official

Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Reliance Industries Limited

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and BP on Tuesday announced the completion of BP's acquisition of a 30-percent stake in 21 oil and gas production sharing contracts (PSCs) that Reliance operates in India, including the producing KG D6 block.

This significant step will commence the planned alliance which will operate across the gas value chain in India, from exploration and production to distribution and marketing. The completion of the deal delivers one of the largest ever foreign direct investments into India.

The two companies will also form a 50:50 joint venture for the sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the creation of infrastructure for receiving, transporting and marketing natural gas.

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, said, "The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realize the true potential of India's hydrocarbon reserves. The globally renowned expertise of BP and the in-depth domestic experience of Reliance make for a formidable alliance which will deliver unparalleled value for the country in its pursuit of energy security."

"This is the beginning of what we expect to be a long and successful working partnership with Reliance, building on the strengths of each company," said Bob Dudley, BP group chief executive. "This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets."

BP will pay RIL an aggregate consideration of US$7.2 billion subject to completion adjustments for the interests to be acquired in the 21 production sharing contracts. Further performance payments of up to US$1.8 billion could be paid based on exploration success that results in development of commercial discoveries.

The 21 oil and gas blocks cover approximately [220,000] square kilometers and lie in water depths ranging from 400 to over 3,000 meters. They include the KG D6 block that currently produces about [1.7] billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcf/d), over 40 percent of India's total gas production. RIL will remain operator of the PSCs and BP will bring its global deepwater, sub-surface and gas expertise to enhance exploration and development of the blocks.

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BP, Coast Guard Find No Sheen near Macondo

- BP, Coast Guard Find No Sheen near Macondo

Friday, August 26, 2011
BP plc

On Aug. 25, 2011, BP confirmed through a standard visual wellhead inspection that there is no release of oil from the Macondo well (MC252).

In addition, BP also conducted a visual inspection of the Macondo relief well confirming the same result.

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) video inspection was conducted in the presence of representatives from the Gulf Coast Incident Management Team (GCIMT) (MC252 Unified Command) located in New Orleans. GCIMT members watching the live video feed included representatives of the US Coast Guard, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, and representatives from the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida.

The inspection was prompted by press reports that sheens of oil observed in the vicinity were from the Macondo well. The Macondo well was capped on July 15, 2010 and permanently killed by sealing the well and annulus with cement on Sept. 19, 2010. The well was later plugged and abandoned with the approval and oversight of the US government.

During the course of inspecting both wellheads, small, intermittent bubbles were observed emanating from cement ports at the base of the wellheads. These observations are consistent with testing and sampling performed last year that detected nitrogen bubbles, a residual byproduct of the nitrified foam used in setting the wells’ surface casing cement.

BP and the US Coast Guard have conducted multiple surveys of the area in recent days and found no evidence of oil sheens in the Macondo vicinity.

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KBR Bags Hyundai Gig for BP Quad 204 Proj.

- KBR Bags Hyundai Gig for BP Quad 204 Proj.

Friday, August 26, 2011
KBR Inc.

KBR has received a letter of award from Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Limited to perform engineering design and procurement support services for the BP Quad 204 Floating Production Storage and Offload (FPSO) Project to be located west of Shetland Isles in UK waters.

The Quad 204 FPSO will be designed to meet the strict safety and environmental regulations for harsh weather operations. KBR has been involved in the Quad 204 Project since 2008, when work started on the select and define engineering of the FPSO. Services for the Quad 204 Project will be provided through KBR's offices in Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia. This award follows the recent announcement by BP and its co-venturers, to progress with a major re-development of the Schiehallion and Loyal oil fields.

"This award follows on from the successful performances by KBR on BP offshore projects in the North Sea, Caspian Sea and West Africa thus solidifying KBR's position as a leading contractor," said Dennis Calton, President, KBR Oil &amp; Gas. "We are proud of the long-standing relationship KBR has developed with BP and our growing relationship with Hyundai Heavy Industries."

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KBR Wins Pre-FEED for BP Hod Proj.

- KBR Wins Pre-FEED for BP Hod Proj.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011
KBR Inc.

KBR was awarded a contract by BP NORGE AS (BP) to execute pre-front-end engineering and design (pre-FEED) engineering studies for the Hod Re-Development (HRD) Project, operating on behalf of BP and HESS NORGE AS.

KBR’s contract includes engineering services for the development of a replacement stand alone wellhead platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The pre-FEED study will provide the basis for a decision to progress to the Define Stage of the Hod Re-Development Project.

"This award follows the successful execution of various projects by KBR and our long established relationship with BP," said Dennis Calton, President, KBR Oil &amp; Gas. This work has been awarded as a call off against BP's Offshore Engineering and Project Management Services Global Agreement with KBR.

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$5 Billion in Claims Paid Out By BP For Gulf Coast Damage

- $5 Billion in Claims Paid Out By BP For Gulf Coast Damage



Aug 23, 2011

"BP says it has paid out $5 billion dollars of the $20 billion set aside for the recovery efforts involved in the Gulf of Mexico spill last year. The pay out is going to Gulf Coast businesses and residents for damages caused by the catastrophe.

According to a summary by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, which took over the claims process from BP last August, has approved 38% of the 947,892 claims submitted.

The enormous majority of the claims paid have gone to five states. Residents in Florida have been paid $2 billion; more than any other state while residents of Louisiana were paid $1.5 billion. Recipients from Alabama, Mississippi and Texas round out the top five, respectively.

BP (NYSE:BP) has a potential upside of 41.3% based on a current price of $39.44 and an average consensus analyst price target of $55.74."

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