Oil Search Ltd.’s Barikewa-3 appraisal well in retention license PRL-9 in the forelands of Papua New Guinea has encountered natural gas in the target Toro and Hedinia sandstone reservoirs. The company said both reservoirs were well developed, with the Toro better than expected in terms of thickness and reservoir quality. Source: News

Lakes Oil NL, Melbourne, has made an off-market takeover offer to acquire all of the issued shares in Rawson Oil & Gas Ltd., Sydney. Lakes is offering 15 shares of its stock for every 1 share of Rawson, an offer that values Rawson at $3.75 million (Aus.). Source: News

Senators of the 32nd Legislature of the US Virgin Islands have approved a proposed $1.4-billion operating agreement between the government and ArcLight Capital Partners to restart the 500,000-b/d refinery at Limetree Bay, on the island of St. Croix. Source: News

Eni SPA has received approval to develop its shallow-water Amoca, Mizton, and Tecoalli oil discoveries in Area 1 of Mexico’s Campeche Bay. The National Hydrocarbon Commission approved its plan for phased development, with early production starting in first-half 2019 through a wellhead platform in Mizton field. Source: News

Hunter Oil Corp., Houston, has agreed to sell substantially all of its oil and gas operations to Pacific Energy Development Corp., a Nevada corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pedevco Corp., Danville, Calif., for a rounded aggregate purchase price of $21.35 million. Source: News

India’s Union Cabinet is consolidating hydrocarbon types in its oil and gas licenses in a move that for the first time will allow nonstate operators to develop shale resources. Until now, India has awarded separate licenses, most recently production-sharing contracts, for conventional resources and coalbed methane. Source: News