Eni has made a ‘significant discovery’ offshore West Africa’s Côte d’Ivoire; Bangladesh has opened shallow-water bidding for 2024
Eni has called its latest discovery ‘significant’ and ’major’ after preliminary drilling results in block CI-205 in exploration well Murene 1X on the Calao discovery indicated potential resources between 1-1.5Bn barrels of oil equivalent.
Drilling operations took place approximately 45 km off Côte d’Ivoire in block CI-205, reaching a depth of 5,000 m in water depths of around 2,200 m. Eni said the well encountered light oil, gas and condensates in various intervals, characterised by good to excellent permeability values.
Wood Mackenzie said, "This latest find cements Cote d’Ivoire as an exciting exploration prospect, with more wells expected to come in the coming years after the Baleine and Calao discoveries indicate significant exploration potential in the country."
Calao is thought to be the second-largest discovery in the country behind the Baleine field. Calao was drilled using Saipem-managed Deep Value Driller which is contracted to Eni into 2026.
Eni operates block CI-205 in partnership with state oil company Petroci Holding and holds participating interests in deepwater blocks CI-101, CI-401, CI-501, CI-801, and CI-802 offshore Côte d’Ivoire in partnership with Petroci Holding.
In south Asia, Bangladesh is seeking bidders for offshore oil and gas exploration, and its government and national oil company Petrobangla are inviting international oil companies to bid for up to nine shallow and 15 deepsea blocks in the nation’s 2024 Offshore Bid Round
The shallow-sea blocks available for bidding are SS-01, 02, 03, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10 and 11, while the deepsea blocks include DS-08 to DS-22. Petrobangla has outlined specific qualification criteria for bidders including a minimum offshore daily production requirement and mandatory global exploration experience.
Qualification criteria mandates that individual bidders or at least one member of a joint venture must operate with a minimum offshore daily production of at least 15,000 barrels of oil or 150M standard cubic feet of gas. Companies may bid for multiple blocks, with the prospect of signing contracts under the new Bangladesh Offshore Model Production Sharing Contract 2023.
In India, state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) reported first oil from the Krishna Godavari deepsea oilfield had arrived at its subsidiary Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd for processing.
In January, ONGC began oil production from the Krishna Godavari basin (KG-DWN-98/2 (KG-D5) block in the Bay of Bengal. The field currently produces about 12,000-12,500 barrels of oil per day using a floating production and storage offloading unit.
The jack-up Trident II has arrived in India from the UAE to work for ONGC on a three-year deal. The rig underwent maintenance work at Hamriyah shipyard ahead of its new contract.
In the US Gulf of Mexico, BP has extended its contract with Diamond Offshore for ultra-deepwater drillship Ocean BlackHornet for two years. The extension is valued at US$350M and will begin in direct continuation of its existing work scope, keeping it busy until February 2027.
And Stena’s newest drillship, Stena Evolution, is en route to the US Gulf of Mexico where it will kick off its inaugural assignment with Shell soon.
In the North Sea, Diamond Offshore’s midwater semi-rig Ocean Patriot mobilised to Serica Energy’s Keith field where it will carry out a two-well programme estimated to last about 60 days.
In mergers and acquisitions news, a consortium of investors will acquire Brazilian offshore drilling firm Petroserv Marine through PS Marine Holding, a special-purpose vehicle. PS Marine Holding will take over all of Petroserv’s assets, which encompasses a fleet of four drilling rigs, via a share purchase of its subsidiary, Universal Energy Resources for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2024 and the business will continue with its existing management team and employees.
Following tropical cyclone Lincoln, midwater semi-submersible rig Transocean Endurance and ultra-deepwater semi-submersible rig Valaris DPS-1 have returned to work for Woodside Energy in Australia. Transocean’s rig is at Stybarrow in block WA-32-L. The Valaris rig works in the Scarborough field in block WA-61-L.
Stena Drilling’s Stena Carron drillship has completed its 15-year special period survey at Las Palmas during which maintenance was performed on the sheaves. The drillship is conducting sea trials before heading back to Guyana where it will continue its current drilling campaign for ExxonMobil. Stena Carron is booked until the end of June 2024 but several extension options are on the table and the rig could see its work scope extended into 2025.
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