Sheen Seen Emanating from BP Thunderhorse Platform in US Gulf

- Sheen Seen Emanating from BP Thunderhorse Platform in US Gulf

Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
HOUSTON
by Ryan Dezember

A band of silvery sheen was spotted emanating from BP's Thunderhorse platform Tuesday in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, though the company said that it has taken action to prevent further discharges, according to a government filing.

A two-foot-wide band of sheen stretching 30 feet from the platform, which is located in deep water south of the Mississippi-Alabama state line, was reported to the National Response Center on Tuesday.

BP told federal pollution regulators that the unspecified substance came from a discharge pipe and that it was adjusting waste treatment chemicals on the platform to remediate the problem, according to the filing.

A BP spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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

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BOEMRE Confirms Fatality at Platform Offshore Tx.

- BOEMRE Confirms Fatality at Platform Offshore Tx.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011
BOEMRE

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has confirmed that agency personnel responded on August 16 to a report of a fatality at Energy Resource Technology's High Island (HI) Block A557 Platform A. This is an oil and gas production platform approximately 75 miles offshore Texas, in about 224 feet of water.

According to the operator's report, an incident occurred early on the morning of August 16 during a crane lift in which a large piece of equipment was being loaded from the platform to a workboat. An apparent failure of the boom hoist cable led to a collapse of the crane, which set off a series of events in which the crane's harness struck and fatally wounded an employee. There was no production ongoing at the time of the accident.

BOEMRE inspectors traveled to the platform yesterday and have begun an independent investigation into the cause of the accident.

"This was a tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased employee, as well as his colleagues and friends. This incident provides the most dramatic possible reminder of what is at stake as we work with industry to ensure the highest safety standards on offshore facilities and do everything possible to minimize the risk of such accidents," said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich.

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BP: Valhall Oil Platform Restart Unlikely Before End-Aug

- BP: Valhall Oil Platform Restart Unlikely Before End-Aug

Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
LONDON
by Konstantin Rozhnov

BP said Tuesday production at the Valhall oil platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, damaged in a July 13 fire, is unlikely to resume before the end of August, about two weeks later than originally planned.

The fire at the platform shut down around 60,000 barrels a day of Ekofisk crude output that feeds into global benchmark Brent. Oil production at the Valhall facility itself before the shutdown stood at 42,000 barrels a day.

"Production will be restarted when the necessary BP reviews and any required modifications have been completed," said BP spokesman Matt Taylor.

He said July 28 that damage to the Valhall platform, was modest and caused mostly by water used to extinguish the fire.

The Valhall platform shutdown comes on top of continuing unscheduled maintenance at the Nexen-operated Buzzard oil field, the largest of the 50 fields that contribute to Forties crude oil, the main component of Brent.

Also, the BP-operated Forties Pipeline System was closed last week for five-day planned maintenance, but it over-ran due to dense fog through much of the week, BP said.

"Forties Pipeline re-started on Friday evening in line with the plan and throughput volumes are increasing as more fields come back on line after their own maintenance programs," Taylor said Tuesday.

The Buzzard and Forties pipeline problems have led to nine cargoes of Forties crude being delayed in August, providing support for oil prices.

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

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Statoil Wraps Up First Phase at Gudrun Platform

- Statoil Wraps Up First Phase at Gudrun Platform

Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Statoil

The steel support structure for the Gudrun platform is now in place on the North Sea field, completing the first phase of the extensive installation work being carried out there.

"The entire operation has been carried out according to plan and in a secure manner," reported Anders Opedal, senior vice president for projects in Statoil's Technology, Projects and Drilling business area.

"We've passed an important milestone for coming on stream at the right time and to budget. With the jacket solidly positioned on the seabed, we'll be able to start drilling in the fourth quarter as planned."

Installation of the steel structure began on July 24, and the job of attaching it to the seabed was completed on August 2 when the last of 12 60-meter piles was driven home.

Saipem 7000, the world's second-largest crane vessel, has been used to carry out the installation work on Gudrun.

Weighing some 7,000 tonnes all told, the traditional jacket comprises two main structures of almost 2,300 tonnes each, tied together by six horizontal frames and various bracings.

Important contribution

"Gudrun is the first of a number of new installations in an area of the Norwegian North Sea which is both highly interesting and mature," observes Ivar Aasheim, senior vice president for field development in the Development and Production Norway business area.

"By exploiting existing infrastructure for processing and transport, we're ensuring production from new fields. Gudrun will also make an important contribution to maintaining high production levels going forward."

The next development milestone is the start of pre-drilling production wells on the field. These will be tied back to the platform for partial processing and oil and gas export.

Final processing of Gudrun's output will take place on Sleipner A, with the gas piped to the adjacent Sleipner T platform for carbon dioxide removal.

In addition, electricity to operate the Gudrun installation once it comes on stream in two years' time will be supplied from Sleipner A.

Gudrun ranks as one of Statoil's largest development projects on the Norwegian continental shelf, and contains some 127 million barrels of oil equivalent.

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BP: N Sea Valhall Oil Platform Restart Not Seen Before Mid-Aug

- BP: N Sea Valhall Oil Platform Restart Not Seen Before Mid-Aug

Thursday, July 28, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
LONDON
by Konstantin Rozhnov

Production at the BP-operated Valhall oil platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea is unlikely to resume before mid-August as the company needs to complete a review into a fire at the facility, a BP spokesman said Thursday.

Damage to the platform was modest and caused mostly by water used to spray on the fire, BP spokesman Matt Taylor said.

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

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BP Evacuates Personnel from Valhall Platform after Fire Erupts

- BP Evacuates Personnel from Valhall Platform after Fire Erupts

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Rigzone Staff
by Robin Dupre

BP has evacuated personnel from its Valhall oil platform in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea after a fire erupted, stated a Reuters report.

The fire started in a compressor on the production platform in the oil field on Wednesday.

"No persons are injured and no one is missing," BP spokesman Jan Erik Geirmo told state broadcaster NRK. "We see this as a serious incident."

The company closed the field's production until further notice.

The Valhall oil field lies in the Norwegian North Sea on Blocks 2/8 and 2/11 in 230 feet (70 meters) of water. Hess currently owns 64% of the Valhall field, while BP holds the remaining 36%.

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Fugro-Jason Acquires 5 Licenses to TerraSpark's Insight Earth Platform

- Fugro-Jason Acquires 5 Licenses to TerraSpark's Insight Earth Platform

Wednesday, June 29, 2011
TerraSpark Geosciences LLC

TerraSpark Geosciences announced that Fugro-Jason, a member of the Fugro companies and recognized global leader in seismic inversion and reservoir characterization software and services, has acquired five licenses to TerraSpark's Insight Earth® 3D seismic interpretation platform. The licenses include complete access to Insight Earth Base™ and Insight Earth Structure™ application tools.

According to Fugro-Jason's geoscience consulting teams, they will use Insight Earth to support exploration and production projects worldwide. The teams will leverage Insight Earth to improve structural interpretation speed and accuracy, while accelerating reservoir characterization projects.

Fugro-Jason found that its inversion results, when combined with Insight Earth interpretation tools, provide an optimally productive environment for rapidly defining faulting and structure. After Fugro-Jason inversion improves interpretation accuracy by transforming the interpretation environment from reflectors to impedances and lithologies, applying Insight Earth tools allows quicker, easier, more robust interpretation decisions and workflows.

"We are fully confident that Insight Earth will deliver multiple efficiency and performance upgrades to enhance various workflow functions within Fugro-Jason's consulting base," said Geoffrey Dorn, PhD, CEO and president of TerraSpark. "Geoscientific consulting is a time-sensitive discipline, and requires best-in-class tools and technologies that support continual optimization and efficiency improvements."

Insight Earth Base provides data management, including data input/output, data transfer, workflow definition, workflow and process control, and interactions modes. This enables geoscientists to condition seismic data for subsequent processing, and to optimize volumes for interpretation. Insight Earth Structure allows users to more rapidly and accurately interpret 3D surfaces including faults, horizons, canyons and salt bodies in seismic volumes for prospect definition and reservoir delineation.

Insight Earth is widely recognized throughout the energy exploration and production market for its workflow-accelerated True Volume seismic interpretation process, wherein each step in the interpretation process informs and improves the next step.

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Havila Shipping to Take Ownership of 5 Platform Supply Vessels

- Havila Shipping to Take Ownership of 5 Platform Supply Vessels

Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Havila Shipping ASA

Havila Shipping has entered into an agreement with its controlling shareholder Havila AS and Havila AS' wholly-owned subsidiary Havvåg AS for the purpose of transferring Havila AS' indirect ownership interests in the five platform supply vessels MV Havila Fortune, MV Havila Aurora, MV Havila Borg, MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader (the "PSVs") to the Company (the "Transaction").

The transfer of the ownership interest in the PSVs to the Company will be carried out through a transfer of the shares in subsidiaries of Havila AS and interests in Havila PSV DIS as contribution in kind against the issue of shares in the Company.

Havila AS' ownership interests in the PSVs are primarily held by private limited companies, wholly- or partly-owned subsidiaries of Havila AS, which in turn hold ownership interests in the partnerships owning the PSVs, provided, however, that Havila AS holds some interests directly in Havila PSV DIS (the "SPVs").

Following completion of the Agreement, the Company will, indirectly, be the owner of 40% in MV Havila Crusader and MV Havila Commander, 49% in MV Havila Borg and 50% in MV Havila Aurora and MV Havila Fortune. MV Havila Aurora, MV Havila Borg and MV Havila Fortune are currently managed by the Company (commercial and technical management), while MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader are on 8-year bareboat charters to the Company. All PSVs are currently operational and on contracts of variable lengths, with remaining duration between two months and five years, offering a balanced market exposure.

The acquisition of a controlling stake in the two PSVs currently leased, MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader is expected to improve earnings significantly through a reduction of net leasing costs, which is currently approximately NOK 100 million annually, and improving the overall financial structure of the Company through replacing leasing with traditional financing.

The acquisition of three additional PSVs, MV Havila Aurora, MV Havila Borg and MV Havila Fortune, is also considered favourable as the Company already operates all of these PSVs, with solid operating performance. These PSVs have remaining contract durations of approximately two months, one year and five years (plus options), respectively, providing Havila Shipping with growth at a favourable
entry point for expansion in the supply market, and at the same providing balanced contract mix.

The financing of all PSVs will be continued under new ownership.

As part of the transactions, the Company will cancel the Total Return Swap on approximately 1.05 million shares. The reason for this, is that the Company having such financial exposure to its own share price is outside the key business scope of the Company.

The SPVs and the PSVs

The Company's acquisition of ownership interests in the PSVs will be carried out through the transfer of Havila AS' shares and interests in the following companies:

• Havship I AS - MV Havila Fortune
  • The Company will acquire 100% of the shares of Havship I AS ("Havship I"), which in turn holds 50% of the outstanding ownership interests in P/R Havship DA, a Norwegian partnership with apportioned liability and business registration number 993 442 003 ("PR Havship I").
  • PR Havship I owns the PSV MV Havila Fortune. MV Havila Fortune is a PSV MT6009 MkII (3,205 dwt), which was built in 2008. It is on contract with Maritime Logistic Services AS until August 2011, and has an option for 3 further wells.
  • The board of directors of Havship I comprises Per Sævik as chairman and sole board member and Njål Sævik as deputy board member. Per Sævik is also the general manager. There are no employees in Havship I.
• Havila Aurora AS - MV Havila Aurora
  • The Company will acquire 100% of the shares of Havila Aurora AS ("Havila Aurora"), which in turn holds 50% of the outstanding ownership interests in P/R Havship II DA, a Norwegian partnership with apportioned liability and business registration number 894 084 782 ("PR Havship II").
  • PR Havship II owns the PSV MV Havila Aurora. MV Havila Aurora is a PSV MT6009 MkII (3,205 dwt), which was built in 2009. It is on contract with Total until March 2016, with an additional option for 2 years.
  • The board of directors of Havila Aurora consists of Per Sævik (chairman), Njål Sævik, Hege Sævik Rabben and Vegard Sævik. Per Sævik is also the general manager. There are no employees in Havila Aurora.
• Havila Borg AS - MV Havila Borg
  • The Company will acquire 100% of the shares of Havila Borg AS ("Havila Borg"), which in turn holds 49% of the outstanding ownership interest in P/R Havship III DA, a Norwegian partnership with apportioned liability and business registration number 994 760 890 ("PR Havship III").
  • PR Havship III owns the PSV MV Havila Borg. MV Havila Borg is a PSV Havyard 832 (4,000 dwt), which was built in 2009. It is on contract with Shell until July 2012 with a 1 year option.
  • The board of directors of Havila Borg consists of Per Sævik (chairman), Njål Sævik and Kjell Rabben. Njål Sævik is also the general manager. There are no employees in Havila Borg.
• Havila PSV AS and Havila PSV DIS - MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader.
  • The Company will acquire 37%, and indirectly (through its wholly owned subsidiary Havila PSV AS ("HPSV AS")) an additional 3%, of the outstanding ownership interest in Havila PSV DIS, a Norwegian silent partnership ("HPSV").
  • HPSV controls the PSVs MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader. MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader are both PSV VS485 (4,900 dwt), which were built in 2010. MV Havila Commander is on contract with ConocoPhilips until mid July 2011, then three months with Maersk Oil & Gas and MV Havila Crusader is on contract with Talisman until November 2011 with two six-month options.
  • The boards of directors of HPSV AS and HPSV consist of Svein Sandvik (chairman), Njål Sævik and Richard Jansen. There are no employees in any of these companies.

PR Havship I, PR Havship II, PR Havship III and HPSV are jointly referred to as the "Partnerships".

Further, the Company intends to increase its ownership in the PSVs to 100% of MV Havila Fortune, Havila Aurora and Havila Borg and 74% of the ownership interests in Havila PSV DIS (MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader) through an acquisition from the third party owners of Partnerships against cash consideration, provided, however, that Mavi VX shall transfer its shares in the partnerships owning MV Havila Aurora, MV Havila Borg and MV Havila Fortune to Havila Shipping as contribution-in-kind against shares in Havila Shipping. The calculation in these acquisitions shall be calculated on the same basis as the consideration in this Transaction.

[No agreements have been, or will be, entered into in connection with the Agreement for the benefit of the parties' board members or management.]

The consideration and settlement

The consideration in the Transaction comprises the aggregate value of the shares transferred to Havila Shipping, which for each of the SPVs is calculated on the basis of (i) the market value of the PSVs as of December 31, 2010 (based on shipbroker valuations as of March 31, 2011, and for MV Havila Commander and MV Havila Crusader also reflecting the Company's purchase options starting in
2012), (ii) value adjusted equity related to the other assets and liabilities in the relevant Partnerships as of December 31, 2010, and (iii) the net profit excluding depreciations of the relevant Partnership in the period from January 1, 2011 to July 19, 2011. The purchase price will comprise the total value of each Partnership adjusted for the percentage of ownership interests not transferred to Havila Shipping.

Based on the above and an agreed total value for the 5 PSVs in the amount of NOK 1,503 million on a 100% basis, the aggregate value of the shares transferred to Havila Shipping is expected to amount to NOK 149.7 million, which is subject to adjustments for the actual net profit in the period up to July 19, 2011.

The subscription price for each share issued to Havila AS against contribution in kind will be equal to the subscription price in the Company's contemplated private placement announced on June 27, 2011. The indicative price range in the private placement is between NOK 52.50 and NOK 57.50, and the final subscription price will be determined by the Board of Directors after completion of the book-building period, expected to end on July 1, 2011.

The number of shares to be issued to Havila AS as consideration for the contribution-in-kind with an aggregate value of NOK 149.7 million and a subscription price at the mid-point of the price range (i.e. NOK 55), is 2,721,203 shares.

The shares will be issued by the Board of Directors pursuant to its authorization to increase the share capital of the Company granted by the general meeting held on April 28, 2011.

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Production Resumed at Leni's Eugene Platform

- Production Resumed at Leni's Eugene Platform

Thursday, June 09, 2011
Leni Gas & Oil plc

Leni Gas & Oil announced resumption of production from the Eugene Island-184 ("EI-184") platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Production operations were resumed safely on June 3, 2011 at the EI-184 facilities following the transfer of operatorship to Marlin Energy LLP ("Marlin") as previously announced in late May. All previously active wells (A1, A3, A4, A5 and A8) were returned to production and operational reporting to the Joint Venture partners has now been resumed.

During the initial five day ramp up period; gross physical production has averaged 1,199 mcfpd and 402 bopd (609 boepd). Once downtime is accounted for, this equates to an average daily rate of approximately 922 boepd. LGO holds a 7.25% working interest in the EI-184 field.

Early indications are that production has been re-established at higher than pre-shut down levels, however, stabilized rates are not yet available and some flush production after a 60 day shut-in period would be expected.

Neil Ritson, LGO's Chief Executive, commented, "We are pleased that production and revenue has been restored so quickly and that all the wells have come back on-line after the shut-down. We now look forward to working with the new operator to plan for sidetracking and recompleting wells in the field to increase production."

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Wood Group Lands Engineering, Design Gig for Tamar Platform

- Wood Group Lands Engineering, Design Gig for Tamar Platform

Thursday, May 26, 2011
John Wood Group plc

Wood Group's Alliance Engineering has been awarded a contract to provide detailed engineering and design services for the Tamar Platform Project, including topsides facilities and deck structure, to be located offshore Israel. The Tamar natural gas field will be operated by Noble Energy and is located offshore Israel in the eastern Mediterranean Sea's Levantine Basin.

The Tamar platform will be located in approximately 800 feet of water and will be designed to process 1.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. The Tamar field is estimated to contain 8.4 trillion cubic feet of gas and will be produced through several subsea wells connected to the platform by 150 km long flow lines. The planned single-lift topsides facility will have four deck levels and will weigh nearly 10,000 tons when completed.

"We are very excited to be working for Noble Energy on this international gas field development," said Edmund Lunde, president of Alliance. "Alliance is committed to execution excellence in its projects and we are honored Noble Energy has given us this opportunity to showcase our capabilities."

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Farstad Shipping Orders 2 Platform Supply Vessels

- Farstad Shipping Orders 2 Platform Supply Vessels

Friday, May 20, 2011
Farstad Shipping ASA

Farstad Sipping ASA has declared their options for building 2 platform supply vessels (PSV) at STX OSV. One of the vessels will be built at the STX Yard in Vietnam and one at the STX Yard in Tomrefjord, Norway (Langsten).

The newbuilds are part of Farstad Shipping's continuous fleet renewal and represent an investment of approx. NOK 600 mill. Delivery of the vessels will take place during first half of 2013.

The vessels ordered are of the STX PSV 08 CD design, identical to three of the vessels ordered in November 2010. This design is a newly developed, medium sized, diesel electric PSV with a net deck area of approx. 800 m².

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Grenland Enters Engineering Agreement with Samsung for Valemon Platform

- Grenland Enters Engineering Agreement with Samsung for Valemon Platform

Thursday, May 19, 2011
Grenland Group ASA

Korean Samsung Heavy Industries has entered into an agreement with Grenland Group for delivery of detailed engineering and fabrication services for the topside on Statoil's wellhead platform Valemon. The project will start up immediately and will be completed in February 2014.The contract value for Grenland Group is approx. NOK 200 million and will secure a high activity level in the main offices in Sandefjord in the coming period. The fabrication of the platform's flare tower shall be executed in the Grenland Group yard in Tønsberg. The agreement contains in addition an option for the delivery of services in connection with the hookup and commissioning of the platform.

"This is the first time Statoil puts out a total EPC contract to a Korean supplier for a new field development on the Norwegian continental shelf. For Samsung, this is a significant breakthrough and recognition of their considerable expertise within the offshore sector. Furthermore, the contract confirms the position Grenland Group has as a leading supplier of design and engineering services in the offshore industry," said CEO Otto Søberg.

Several phases in several countries

The project will be executed in close cooperation with Technip in Kuala Lumpur, another subcontractor to Samsung. During the first six months of the project, the main activities will be carried out by Grenland Group in Sandefjord. This follows by a phase of nine months in Kuala Lumpur, before the project will be constructed and finally completed at the Samsung Geoje facility in Korea. Grenland Group will during this period deliver a considerable amount of engineering hours to the project. Grenland Group and Samsung Heavy Industries have over the years, starting in 1998, worked successfully together on a number of international projects. The contract on Valemon confirms the solidity in the relationship.

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Schlumberger Unveils Latest Version of Wellbore Software Platform

- Schlumberger Unveils Latest Version of Wellbore Software Platform

Monday, May 16, 2011
Schlumberger Ltd.

At the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts Annual Symposium, Schlumberger announced the release of Techlog 2011 software.

"This latest release of Techlog enables customization at several levels of granularity—from the corporate perspective, within a project, and for the petrophysicist, geoscientist or engineer," said Stephanie Gottlib-Zeh, vice president, Geoscience and Drilling, Schlumberger Information Solutions (SIS). "This ensures consistency and auditability, while still supporting productivity and personalized workflows for individual users."

The new Pore Pressure Prediction module incorporates industry standard methods to compute the pore pressure and fracture gradients and establish the safe mud weight window to ensure safe drilling operations. The 2011 release also sees the full implementation of GeoFrame ELAN functionality in Techlog, augmenting the existing mineral solver capabilities with the proven algorithms from this industry recognized application. Other advanced applications such as NMR and Wellbore Imaging received significant upgrades in this release.

The 2011 release delivers a complete modernization of the application interface. The new ribbon interface combines highly intuitive icons with complete customization capability—to bring clarity and knowledge sharing directly into the application. A key innovation in usability, the convenient dashboard mode supports automatic window tiling to maximize the workspace and reduce mouse movements. Furthermore, an intelligent right-mouse-click in context brings frequently used tools and actions directly to the users' fingertips. All of these new developments ensure a significant increase in productivity.

The powerful workflow interface enables users to create comprehensive cross-domain analysis workflows that are applicable across single or multiple wells with equal ease. Workflows can be saved and shared as templates, edited and re-applied to new data facilitating consistency, ease of use and efficient sharing of expertise across asset teams.

"With the significant developments in usability, technology from GeoFrame and more advanced expertise contributions from Schlumberger, we continue to develop Techlog as the most capable wellbore package available on the market," said Gottlib-Zeh.

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Apache Keeps Blake Platform Rigs Busy

Apache Keeps Blake Platform Rigs Busy

Monday, May 09, 2011
Blake International

Blake International reports that the Blake Rig 210 has signed a contract with Apache Corporation for a two-well program with a one-well option. The work will take place on Apache's East Cameron 278 "B" platform. The rig is scheduled to load out on May 8th. Blake International's Rig 14 has also signed an extension with Apache Corporation, a two-platform, three-well program with work commencing at South Pass 62C and continuing at South Pass 62D.

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Statoil: Production Start Delayed at Njord Platform

Statoil: Production Start Delayed at Njord Platform

Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Statoil
by SubseaIQ

Production on the Njord platform was shut down on April 24 as a result of operational problems with gaskets in a gas export compressor. Later the same day, during work to resume production, a gas leak was discovered in one of the risers.

All production on Njord was immediately shut down and will remain shut down until the cause of the leak has been determined.

Production at the Njord field has been shut down since April 1 as a safety measure, while inspection of risers is carried out after earlier discoveries of internal damage to a particular type of flexible pipe.

The first instances of damage were discovered during a planned inspection last autumn, and an inspection program was initiated which is now being carried out. Riser inspection is also being carried out at the Visund field.

Risers are the pipes that convey oil and gas from the seabed to the installation, and consist of several layers of plastic and steel. Production at Njord and Visund is planned to be phased in again in due course as inspection of the risers confirms that they are in order, or after they have been repaired or replaced.

The Njord field resumed partial production on April 16, but was shut down again on April 24 when manual measurements during a work operation revealed a gas leak from one of the risers after an automatic shutdown. The well was contained when the leak occurred.

The riser in which the leak was discovered was quickly depressurised, and production and the other risers were shut down in a controlled manner.

The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has been informed of the incident.

Shutdown delays production from the field. The total field production for Njord is around 70,000 barrels of oil equivalents (oe).

Risers on all installations are subject to constant monitoring and routine inspections in accordance with applicable inspection programs.

Fire Extinguished at Maersk's Platform Offshore Qatar

Fire Extinguished at Maersk's Platform Offshore Qatar

Thursday, April 21, 2011
Maersk Oil

At 02:46 on April 21, a fire broke out on the Maersk Oil Qatar operated AD accommodation platform in the Al Shaheen field, 80 km north of Qatar.

The fire which took place in the emergency generator room has been extinguished and the situation is under control. All employees are safe and accounted for with no serious injuries. Our primary concern remains the safety and well-being of our personnel and those affected by the situation. All non-essential personnel have been evacuated from the platform and crisis counseling made available.

The cause of the fire is unknown and an investigation is underway to establish the root cause. However, three days prior to the incident production at A-Location had been shut-down for planned maintenance work. As a result no hydrocarbons were present at the time. There has been no environmental impact as a result of the incident.

Maersk Oil Qatar operates the Al Shaheen field on behalf of Qatar Petroleum. Currently there are 1561 personnel working offshore with 242 working at A-Location.

Offshore Platform Worker Dies

Offshore Platform Worker Dies

Tuesday, April 19, 2011
BOEMRE

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) is responding to a report of a fatality at Hilcorp Energy Company's West Cameron Block 643 Platform A, a natural gas production platform approximately 129 miles offshore Louisiana, south of Lake Charles, in about 375 feet of water. The platform has not been in production since 2008 and operations to plug and abandon its wells were underway. According to the company's report, at approximately 4:00 a.m., an employee of Alliance Oilfield Services working for Hilcorp was assisting in abandonment operations when he fell through a deck opening. The victim was assisted by first responders on the platform, then med-evaced by helicopter for emergency medical attention. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

BOEMRE inspectors attempted to fly to the platform this morning, but were unable to reach the site due to fog. They will attempt to fly to
the facility again tomorrow to conduct an investigation into the cause of the accident.

"This was a tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased employee, as well as his friends and colleagues. This tragic accident underscores why we are fully committed to working with the industry to ensure the highest safety standards on offshore facilities," said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich.

Pemex Evacuates 638 Workers from Leaning Dorm Platform

Pemex Evacuates 638 Workers from Leaning Dorm Platform

Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Dow Jones Newswires
by Laurence Iliff

Pemex said Tuesday it evacuated 638 workers from a semi-submersible dormitory platform after it began to lean to one side when water entered a pontoon.

Pemex said in a statement there were no injuries as a result of the sudden inclination of the Flotel Jupiter platform housing the workers about 80 kilometers (48 miles) off the coast of Ciudad de Carmen, Campeche state.

Since the platform is used only for housing and not for production, Pemex added, the morning incident didn't cause any leakage of hydrocarbons. "Pemex reiterates that neither production nor other activities in the area were affected," the statement said.

Leaning Flotel Jupiter Platform

Since the platform is used only for housing and not for production, Pemex added, the morning incident didn't cause any leakage of hydrocarbons. "Pemex reiterates that neither production nor other activities in the area were affected," the statement said.

The evacuated workers, Pemex said, were taken by transport ships to the Abkatun-Alfa platform. Divers were sealing the affected pontoon on the Jupiter and Pemex said it expected the platform to be stabilized shortly and moved to an inspection area.

Schlumberger Debuts Telemetry-Enabled Slickline Platform

Schlumberger Debuts Telemetry-Enabled Slickline Platform

Friday, April 08, 2011

Schlumberger Ltd.

Schlumberger announced the launch of LIVE digital slickline services. At their core is a slickline cable engineered to deliver two-way digital communication. Coupled with an extensive suite of purpose-built downhole modules, LIVE technology enables tool and well information to be measured and transmitted to surface in real time.

"LIVE digital slickline services enable oil and gas producers to manage well intervention and workover programs with increased knowledge, accuracy and certainty when running slickline," said Claude Durocher, vice president, Schlumberger Slickline Services, which now integrates the Geoservices slickline organization. "While maintaining the benefits of standard slickline simplicity, digital slickline provides a new level of real-time precision and control to an expanded range of services, delivering an increased level of quality, safety and efficiency."
In parallel with LIVE slickline, a number of purpose-built downhole tools have been developed with all data available at surface in real time.

Basic tool measurements include toolstring shock, deviation, movement and head tension. Additional measurements of gamma ray and casing collar location (CCL) enable precise depth correlation relative to reservoir or completion architecture. The option of borehole pressure and temperature measurements is also available.

A surface-controlled interactive jar and tool release device brings precision to any slickline jarring and fishing operation. To complete the digital slickline platform, additional tools have been developed, capitalizing on telemetry functionality and control capabilities. These allow electro-hydraulic explosive-free tool setting, surface-activated perforation control, and complete production logging to be carried out safely and efficiently.

More than 450 field operations have been performed to date in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia in a wide range of well types, fluids and deviations, including borehole temperatures up to 275 deg F, pressures up to 8000 psi and depths down to 16,000 feet.

Cook Inlet Energy to Restart Production at Osprey Platform

Cook Inlet Energy to Restart Production at Osprey Platform

Monday, April 04, 2011
Alaska Journal of Commerce

by  Tim Bradner

 

In some much-needed good news for the state's oil and gas industry, Cook Inlet Energy has received approvals on its plan to redevelop the small Redoubt Shoal oil field in Cook Inlet and restart production at the shut-in Opsprey platform at the field, company officials said March 28.

Cook Inlet Energy is a subsidiary of Tennessee-based Miller Energy Resources.

Final state approvals came with an agreement by the state Department of Natural Resources to the company's development plan on March 14 and approval of terms for an additional $12 million to be paid into a performance bond on March 16.

Cook Inlet Energy has begun hiring staff and has workers now on the platform to restart its systems. Company CEO David Hall said the company has hired seven new employees. Contractors being retained will employ more people, he said.

Cook Inlet expects to begin workover operations on three shut-in wells on the platform in April and to begin production soon after.

"We are initially targeting three wells, two that entail replacement of downhole electrical submersible pumps, and should quickly add 400 barrels per day to our production. The third workover well requires reactivation of a previously producing gas well," Scott Boruff, president Miller Energy, said in a statement.

When that work is done the company will turn its attention to additional previously producing wells on the platform, Boruff said. There are eight producing and injector wells on the platform.

Hall said a snubbing unit, a type of small drill rig, will be used in the near-term work, and the unit is now being shipped to Cook Inlet. However, a conventional drill rig will be needed to work over and reactivate the remaining wells.

The company is now looking for a suitable rig. Hall said he hopes one can be found that can also be used in drilling onshore prospects on the west side of the Inlet after the platform work is done.

At its peak the platform produced about 4,500 barrels per day from the Redoubt Shoal field.

Cook Inlet Energy now produces approximately 1,000 barrels of oil equivalent, including crude oil and natural gas, from nearby onshore wells in the West MacArthur River field, which Cook Inlet also owns. The oil is transported by the Cook Inlet Pipe Line to a tanker loading facility at Drift River, on the west side of Cook Inlet.

The Osprey platform and the West MacArthur field were shut down in 2009 when the previous owners, Pacific Energy Resources, declared bankruptcy. Miller Energy acquired the properties in a bankruptcy auction and began plans for redevelopment of both properties.