Alaska’s congressional delegation called on US Interior Sec. Sally Jewell to keep three federal offshore oil and gas lease sales in waters off the state’s coast in the 2017-22 US Outer Continental Shelf program that is being prepared. Source: News
Black Sea seismic program under way offshore Romania
Carlyle Group’s Black Sea Oil & Gas SRL has awarded GC Rieber Shipping a 45-day contract for seismic work offshore Romania in the Black Sea. Wholly owned subsidiary Dolphin Geophysical Ltd. will deliver fast-track 3D seismic with its 16-streamer Polar Marquis. Source: News
Lindholm chosen as CEO for Rangeford Resources
Thomas E. Lindholm has been named chief executive officer of Rangeford Resources Inc., Southlake, Tex. Source: News
Plains to fight California spill charges
Plains All American Pipeline LP said it will fight criminal charges related to the release of 500 bbl of crude oil from its 24-in. OD Coastal Line 901 near Santa Barbara, Calif., last year. Source: News
Satorp lets contract for Jubail integrated refining complex
Saudi Aramco Total Refinery & Petrochemicals Co. (Satorp) has let a contract to Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Pasadena, Calif., to provide general engineering services for a series of projects at its 400,000 b/d full-conversion refinery complex at Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Source: News
Norway awards license for newly opened Barents Sea southeast
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has awarded 10 licenses consisting of 40 blocks on Norwegian continental shelf. Three of the licenses are in the Barents Sea southeast, outside the county of Finnmark. In all, 13 companies are offered participating interest. Source: News
Schlaff to lead Wood Group procurement
Raymond Schlaff has been named senior vice-president and chief procurement officer of Wood Group, Houston, responsible for procurement strategies, processes, and governance. Source: News
EIA says oil inventory increased 1.3 million bbl
US commercial crude oil inventories, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased 1.3 million bbl for the week ended May 13 compared with the previous week, the US Energy Information Administration said, estimating the latest total at 541.3 million bbl. Source: News
Teal Natural Resources targets Eagle Ford
Teal Natural Resources LLC has been formed to acquire and develop unconventional oil and gas resources, mainly in the Eagle Ford shale play of Texas. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: Brent oil prices top $49/bbl; fires threaten Canadian oil sands
Brent crude oil prices on the London market closed above $49/bbl on May 17 and continued reaching toward $50/bbl during May 18 trading while US light, sweet crude prices on the New York market hovered above $48/bbl in advance of a weekly government inventory report. Source: News