Bangladesh signs LNG import deal with Qatar

Bangladesh on Sunday signed a deal with Qatar to import four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year to meet the growing demand for gas.  Mohammad Mejbahuddin, secretary to the energy and mineral resources division of Bangladesh, and Mohammed...

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Iran discovers new gas field

Iranian Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi said that the total volumes of gas hit 260 billion cubic meters on the discovered field, of which 80 percent are extractive, Fars news agency reported. The new field is called Khayyam. It is close to the point Asalue in the...

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S.Korea firms lead race for Aramco's Wasit-sources

South Korean firms lead the race for deals to build Saudi Aramco's [SDABO.UL] largest gas plant Wasit, which is part of the state oil firm's push to raise gas processing capacity, industry sources said on Sunday. Gas projects have taken priority in the world's...

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Pipeline in Alaska to Restart Soon

The company that runs the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, which has been struggling for the last week with a leak at the Prudhoe Bay intake station, said operations would resume by late Sunday or early Monday. Installation of a bypass line is expected to be completed...

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Daewoo completes world’s largest FPSO

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering has completed construction of the world’s largest floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO). The 120,000 dwt vessel, measuring 325m long and 61m wide, will be able to process 220,000 barrels of oil, or...

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Oslo exonerated in fatal Rocknes sinking

A COURT in Norway has ruled that the government is not liable in 2004’s Rocknes disaster, the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association said today.  When the bulker Rocknes ran aground and capsized outside Bergen in January 2004, 18 of the 30 crew members on board...

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Chevron in Talks With Indonesia on Drilling Rights Extension

Chevron Corp., the second-biggest U.S. oil company, said it’s in talks with the Indonesian government on extending its drilling rights at a block in southern Sumatra. The explorer, based in San Ramon, California, is seeking to extend drilling rights at the Siak oil block expiring in 2013, Gareth Johnstone,...

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BG may evacuate staff from Tunisia

British oil and gas firm BG Group Plc, Tunisia's largest producer of gas, said on Friday it may evacuate staff as the North African country suffers its worst unrest in decades. It said its office in the capital of Tunis has been closed but otherwise operations...

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Owner of M/V Leopard searches for the missing crew

A Danish shipping company said Friday it was searching for six crew members who have been missing since their cargo ship was attacked by pirates two days ago in the Gulf of Aden off Oman. “We do not know where the crew is and we are concentrating on locating them...

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DOE in talks with 2 Chinese firms for pipeline project

The Department of Energy (DOE) is pursuing talks with two Chinese liquefied natural gas (LNG) firms for the possible development of a pipeline to supply the transport sector. DOE director Jesus Tamang told reporters that they have been holding discussions with...

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Acid-laden tanker capsizes on Rhine in Germany

A tanker loaded with sulfuric acid capsized on the Rhine river in Germany on Thursday, and special cranes and more than 100 rescuers struggled to right the vessel and find two crew members who remain missing. [Read More] Source: boston....

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Total snags stakes in Argentina to search for shale in the Neuquen Basin

French major Total has acquired interests in four exploration licenses in Argentina in partnership with YPF in order to appraise their shale gas potential. Located in the Neuquén Basin, the licenses were awarded by the provincial authorities for a six-year period. The four new blocks are the latest...

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Maersk to add two 13,092-TEU ships to AE-7 service

DENMARK's Maersk Line has announced it will add two new 13,092-TEU containerships, the Maersk Edmonton and the Maersk Erving, to its Asia-Europe AE-7 service in February in March to replace the two 9,500-TEU class Maersk Algol and Gjertrud Maersk, reports Alphaliner. [Read...

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Rosneft and BP Form Global and Arctic Strategic Alliance

BP and Rosneft announced today that they have agreed a groundbreaking strategic global alliance.  Rosneft and BP have agreed to explore and develop three license blocks - EPNZ 1,2,3 – on the Russian Arctic continental shelf. These licences were awarded to...

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Arctic Exploration: Statoil, OMV swap stakes in Barents Sea licenses

Statoil and OMV in Norway have entered into an agreement regarding swap of interests in two licences in the Barents Sea.  Statoil will take over 15 percent of OMV's 40 percent interest in production license 537. The license was awarded in the 20th licensing round in 2009 with OMV as the operator.  Statoil...

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Environment minister urges halt to Leviathan drilling

There is little chance of a moratorum on drilling for oil at the Leviathan 1 exploratory well, as Minister of Environmental Protection Gilad Erdan is seeking. In a letter to Minister of National Infrastructures Uzi Landau, Erdan warned of possible environmental...

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CMA CGM to boost Asia-Europe with new mega-ships

FRENCH carrier CMA CGM will receive the 12,552-TEU ship CMA CGM Alaska this month, which will join its Far East-North Europe FAL 1 service. Industry analyst Alphaliner said the ship will become the largest unit on the loop, currently operated with 11 vessels of...

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AMC Connector: targeting the deepwater segment

AMC Connector, a future new-build subsea installation and construction vessel from Aker Solutions, has finalised its vessel specs. With a total payload capacity of 9 000 tonnes of subsea power cables or umbilicals, the vessel will be well equipped to target the...

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Latest attack changes dynamic of Somali piracy

A recent incident could signal a worrying development in the tactics employed by Somali pirates, according to the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB). On 12 January 2011, suspected Somali pirates boarded a general cargo vessel some 270 NM north east of Socotra...

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Iraq to ask foreign firms to build 10 ships

Iraq's Transport Ministry said on Sunday it would invite foreign firms in early March to submit bids to build 10 ships, including bulk cargo and container vessels, for an estimated value of $110 million. Ismat Amer, head of the state-run sea transport company,...

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EPL paying $201.5 million for petroleum properties

Energy Partners Ltd. agreed Thursday to pay $201.5 million to buy producing oil and natural wells in the Gulf of Mexico The New Orleans-based independent energy producer is acquiring the sites, located in the shallow water in the central Gulf of Mexico, from Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners, a privately...

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Technip wins subsea work at Chevron's Jack-St. Malo ultra-deepwater fields in the Gulf of Mexico

French engineering and oilfield services firm Technip was awarded a contract by Chevron  for the development of the Jack-St. Malo fields, located in the Walker Ridge area of the Gulf of Mexico at a water depth of approximately 7,000 feet (2,100 meters).  The...

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NPD Signs Agreement with Greenland

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has signed a framework agreement with the Greenland Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum (BMP) for the exchange of information regarding resource management in the two countries.  The agreement was signed by the Director...

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Xcite Energy secures rig for North Sea Bentley oil field

North Sea heavy oils operator Xcite Energy XEL have secured the "Rowan Norway" jack-up rig for its operations in the Bentley oilfield in the UK North Sea.  Xcite's 100% subsidiary, Xcite Energy Resources has entered into an extension to a binding letter of...

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How are wrecked ships salved?

Accidents do happen, and ships are occasionally wrecked on rocks, sandbanks or are perhaps washed up on a lee shore, possibly after the anchor chain had parted or dragged in a storm. Vessels sometimes collide, or catch fire. It then becomes the job of professional...

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Dry Bulk Fleet developments in 2010

The dry bulk fleet expanded rapidly in 2010. After allowing for scrappings, conversions, sinkings and other removals there was a net growth of 830 ships amounting to an additional 77 Mdwt. In terms of deadweight this was an expansion of an unprecedented 17.7% or 12.7% in terms of numbers of ships.At...

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Niko Announces Double Farmout With Repsol Exploration SA

Niko Resources Ltd. is pleased to announce that it has reached a Farmout agreement with Repsol Exploration SA ("Repsol") in which Repsol, through its subsidiaries, will become a joint venture participant in both the East Bula and Seram Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) in Indonesia. As a result of...

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Saudi Arabia-Japan Tanker Rates Fall, Prompt Speed Speculation

The cost of hauling Middle East crude oil to Asia slid for a sixth day, prompting speculation some tanker owners may consider reducing ship speeds to save on fuel costs and cut vessel supply.Charter rates for very large crude carriers, or VLCCs, on the industry’s benchmark Saudi Arabia-to-Japan voyage...

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Japanese may win LNG carriers

Japanese shipbuilders, starved of LNG carrier orders, are expected to win some newbuilding orders this year as domestic utilities are expected to move forward on a number of LNG-newbuilding projects this year on the back of a slew of recent term LNG purchases. [Read...

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Samsung builds Stena tankers at China

South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries is said to be in negotiation for up to 10 handysize products tankers for Stena Bulk of Sweden.  Stena was planning to order six 38,000-dwt ships with options for another four.  [Read More] Source: Asia...

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Rockhopper begins drilling of 14/10-3 well in North Falkland Basin

Rockhopper Exploration has started drilling operations at the 14/10-3 exploration well in the North Falkland Basin. The well is located 8km north west of the Sea Lion 14/10-2 discovery well on the Licence PL032, in which the company holds a 100% working interest. [Read...

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SOCAR prepares for drilling new exploration well at Umid offshore field

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan is working to drill new exploration well at the Umid offshore field. According to a statement in the company, the projected depth of the new well will make up 6,500 meters. The drilling is to complete in late 2011-early 2012. [Read...

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Transocean Extends Rig Leases at Reduced Rates With Shell, BHP

Transocean Ltd., owner of the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico and triggered the biggest U.S. offshore oil spill, reached agreements with Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BHP Billiton Ltd. to extend rental agreements for two drilling vessels. [Read more] Source:...

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Olympic confirms Kleven option

Olympic Shipping in Norway has confirmed a contract with Kleven Maritime for the delivery of one multi purpose field supply & construction vessel of the MT 6015 design by Norwegian design company Marin Teknikk. The vessel is to be built at the yard Kleven...

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Wilhelmsen Ships Service Opens Tunisia Distribution Site

Wilhelmsen Ships Service has opened a new office in Sousse, south of Tunis and conveniently located between Tunisia’s main ports. The new facility will service a growing market in the region, including vessels calling on Tunisian ports and a number of offshore...

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Draka Nets New Marine Cable Order for Royal Boskalis Vessel

Draka Offshore announced today that Keppel Singmarine has selected Draka as a cable supplier for its production of Hull 362 for Royal Boskalis Westminster. “It is always gratifying to receive orders from a renowned shipbuilding yard like Keppel Singmarine,” stated...

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NPD Expects Norwegian Shelf Investments to Rise

The activity level on the Norwegian shelf is high, with investments expected to rise in the next few years. In spite of this, NPD sees that more than 50 per cent of the oil remains in the fields. [Read more] Source: Offshore Energy To...

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Teekay Announces Senior Management Appointments

Teekay Corporation announced that its current President of its Shuttle Tanker and FSO business unit, Kenneth Hvid, has been appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer effective April 1, 2011. In his new role, Mr. Hvid will...

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