Ophir Energy PLC committed to a fourth development phase at Bualuang oil field in the Gulf of Thailand, starting with infill drilling this year of three wells being redrilled plus two workovers.  Source: News

The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will begin a new program on Apr. 1 that will increase physical inspection time offshore while saving nearly $20 million over 3½ years, the US Department of the Interior agency reported. Source: News

Delek US Holdings Inc. has completed the sale of its idled refining assets in Paramount and Long Beach, Calif., to an affiliate of Boston-based World Energy LLC. Source: News

EnerVest Ltd. has agreed to sell its Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk assets to TPG Pace Energy Holdings, an energy-focused special purpose acquisition entity led by former Occidental Petroleum Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Chazen, for $2.66 billion in cash and stock. Source: News

SandRidge Energy Inc. will evaluate strategic alternatives after rejecting Midstates Petroleum Co. Inc.’s unsolicited public offer to combine the two companies.  Source: News

CNOOC Ltd. has brought Weizhou 6-13 oil field on stream ahead of schedule in the South China Sea’s Beibu Gulf. The field lies in an average of 35 m of water. Source: News

The light, sweet oil contract for April dropped modestly on the New York market Mar. 19 to settle just above $62/bbl. Meanwhile in London, the Brent crude oil for May delivery dropped slightly to settle just above $66/bbl. But oil prices increased in early Mar. 20 trading. Source: News

ExxonMobil Corp. has started detailed engineering work on a proposed project along the US Gulf Coast that would expand polypropylene manufacturing capacity by as much as 450,000 tonnes/year to meet growing demand for high-performance, lightweight durable plastics. Source: News