Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) awarded three of five shallow-water blocks in its Round One second tender, a more successful auction than the first in July that received just 2 bids on 14 blocks. All five blocks are part of the Southeast basin in the Gulf of Mexico. Source: News
Federal, state officials offering differing views of the ESA
The Endangered Species Act works best when state governments and local stakeholders are heavily involved, witnesses testifying before a US Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee agreed. But they strongly differed on whether the 1973 law itself is still effective, or needs to be reformed. Source: News
BLM seeks comment on proposed oil production measurement rule update
The US Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on a proposed rule that would update and replace its regulations governing the measurement of oil produced from onshore federal and Indian leases. Source: News
Appraisal wells indicate communication with Alta discovery
Lundin Norway AS is considering two more appraisal wells after recent results from wells near the 2014 Alta oil and gas discovery in the Barents Sea. Source: News
San Leon discovers gas onshore Morocco
San Leon Energy PLC, Dublin, found gas shows within a 23-m-thick reservoir section of sandstone and conglomerate with its Laayoune-4 well drilled on the Tarfaya conventional license of Morocco’s Sahara region. Source: News
Witnesses cite pipeline safety progress, and unfinished work
Significant progress has been made in making US oil and gas pipelines safer and reducing the number of accidental releases, government and industry witnesses agreed at a US Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation subcommittee hearing. But they also emphasized that more work needs to be done. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: NYMEX oil prices gains modestly awaiting inventory report
Crude oil prices rose 80¢/bbl on the New York Sept. 29 to settle slightly above $45/bbl as traders and analysts awaited the weekly government inventory report on crude oil and products, which showed an increase. Source: News
EPA institutes fenceline monitoring in update of refining regulations
The US Environmental Protection Agency required fenceline monitoring for the first time as it issued a final rule updating refinery emissions control requirements. Refiners will be required to install the monitors to measure benzene at the edges of their plant sites to better protect and inform nearby communities, EPA said. Source: News
Deepwater gulf well to start flow in 2017
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas expects to start oil production in 2017 from its Horn Mountain Deep well, which will be tied back to the Horn Mountain truss spar in 5,500 ft of water offshore Louisiana. Source: News
Petrobras confirms extension of Carcara discovery
A third exploratory well drilled by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) in the Carcara area of the ultradeepwater Santos basin again confirmed the presence of good quality light oil of 31º gravity in presalt reservoirs. Source: News