Westwood Global Energy Group estimates 17 exploration wells could be drilled on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) within 18 months, testing unrisked resources estimated by oil companies to total more than 2 billion boe. Source: News
ExxonMobil drills first of two wildcat wells off Guyana
ExxonMobil Corp. reported the start of drilling of the Haimara-1 exploration well offshore Guyana—the first of two planned wells in January. The Stena Carron drillship is drilling the well, which is 19 miles east of the Pluma-1 discovery in the southeast Stabroek block. Source: News
US Chamber study estimates ‘keep-it-in-the-ground’ economic costs
Antienergy activists’ “keep-it-in-the-ground” efforts have prevented at least $91.9 billion in domestic economic activity and eliminated nearly 730,000 job opportunities, a new study by the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute (GEI) concluded. Source: News
API state councils are bridges between local issues, national advocacy
Colorado Petroleum Council (CPC) Executive Director Tracee Bentley did not consider it an oil and gas industry victory on Nov. 6, 2018, when voters across the state resoundingly rejected Proposition 112. The initiative would have established production setback requirements so stringent that new exploration and production in the state effectively would have been stifled. Source: […]
Woodside enters FEED for Pluto Train 2
Woodside Petroleum Ltd., Perth, has let a contract to Bechtel for the front-end engineering design stage for the Pluto LNG Train 2 project on the Burrup Peninsula of Western Australia. FEED work includes activities needed to finalize the costs and technical definition for the proposed second train at the onshore facility. Source: News
Prelude floating LNG project comes on stream
Shell Australia’s Prelude floating LNG (FLNG) project in the Browse basin off northwest Western Australia has started production. The company reported it had opened the subsea wells in the field to enter the project’s start-up and ramp-up phases, the initial stages during which gas and condensate is produced and moved through the giant facility. […]
SOCAR commissions unit, wraps Phase 1 of Baku refinery revamp
State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic has commissioned a bitumen plant as part of program designed to modernize and expand operations at the company’s Heydar Aliyev (formerly New Baku) refinery at Baku in Azerbaijan, completing the first phase of the 120,500-b/d refinery’s long-planned modernization project. Source: News
Grassroots methanol project revived for Louisiana
South Louisiana Methanol (SLM) and new joint-venture partner Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corp. are planning a $2.2-billion capital investment to build a grassroots methanol complex in St. James Parish, La. Originally announced in 2013 as a project of ZEEP and Todd Corp., SLM—which is now majority-owned by Todd—will pursue the JV methanol project with a […]
Shell wraps Geismar alpha olefins expansion project
Shell Chemical has commissioned its $717-million project to increase alpha olefins production at its Geismar, La., chemical manufacturing plant along the Mississippi River, about 20 miles south of Baton Rouge. Initially started up in December 2018, the 425,000-tonne/year capacity expansion brings total AO production at Geismar to more than 1.3 million tpy. Source: News
Eni agrees to acquire 70% Oooguruk stake
Eni SPA says its prospective acquisition of a 70% interest in Oooguruk oil field in the Beaufort Sea offshore Alaska will complement work at nearby Nikaitchuq oil field. It has agreed to acquire the interest from Caelus Natural Resources Alaska LLC and become operator. It now holds 30%. Source: News