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Latest news - Regional

Scotland’s first net zero scholarship students share experiences with ECITB Chief Executive

Scotland’s first net zero scholarship students share experiences with ECITB Chief Executive   A group of Aberdeen students, who are training to be the next generation of wind engineers, today met with Chris Claydon, Chief Executive of Government skills body the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), to share their experiences of a new scholarship. The first cohort of the Wind Turbine Technician Pathway, they began their studies last September at North East...

What windfall? North Sea levy generated £600m less than expected in December

What windfall? North Sea levy generated £600m less than expected in December   The new levy on North Sea oil and gas operators – dubbed the ‘windfall tax’ – failed to generate the government’s expected takings last month, confirmed the UK’s spending watchdog. The Office for Budget Responsibility revealed the Energy Profits Levy failed to provide the Treasury with its hoped-for windfall. Cash receipts for December were a whopping £...

Golden opportunity imminent for UK’s offshore energy supply chain

Golden opportunity imminent for UK’s offshore energy supply chain   NSTA and GUH study highlights vast scale of labour and infrastructure required for new production projects Huge opportunities for vessel and rig owners Close, early collaboration vital for ensuring resources are available as industry continues to underpin UK energy security A wave of new opportunities for the UK’s world class offshore energy supply chain will be created by upcoming oil and gas...

Neptune Energy commences drilling at Adorf gas development

Neptune Energy commences drilling at Adorf gas development   Neptune Energy today announced drilling has begun at its operated Adorf Z18 gas production well in the municipality of Georgsdorf, northwestern Germany. The well is being drilled by KCA Deutag, with final depth of around 4,700 metres expected to be reached in June this year. Neptune Energy’s Managing Director in Germany, Andreas Scheck, said: “The Adorf Carboniferous field development is one of our most pro...

New documentary by OEUK highlights the talent behind UK’s changing offshore energy industry

New documentary by OEUK highlights the talent behind UK’s changing offshore energy industry   Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the leading trade body for the UK’s offshore energies industry, today releases a documentary which shines a light on the UK workers leading the charge to net zero energy supply. Produced in partnership with Scotland-based documentary maker Thomas Hogben, ‘The Time is Now: the UK’s changing energy industry’ intimately captures the h...

Man goes missing from installation in North Sea

Man goes missing from installation in North Sea   A major search was launched after a man went missing from an offshore installation in the North Sea. The 50-year-old was reported missing from the jackup rig Valaris 121, about 100 miles south east of Aberdeen. The alarm was raised at about 21:00 on Sunday. Valaris said the search was stood down at about 07:00 on Monday. At the time of the incident being reported, the rig was under tow from its last operating location in the N...

North Sea Petrofac workers continue strikes on BP assets

North Sea Petrofac workers continue strikes on BP assets   Petrofac workers on BP North Sea installations downed tools again after negotiations over working conditions stalled. The 48-hour strike action which started on Wednesday at 06.00 hrs involves around 80 workers and is set to conclude at 05.59 hrs on Friday, January 20. Unite, the UK’s largest offshore trade union, confirmed that BP assets hit by the strike action include: Andrew, Clair, Clair Ridge, ETAP, and the...

Archer signs term sheet to potentially acquire Baker Hughes’ UK coil tubing and pumping business

Archer signs term sheet to potentially acquire Baker Hughes’ UK coil tubing and pumping business   The company has signed a term sheet with Baker Hughes Limited to potentially acquire Baker Hughes’ coil tubing and pumping business in the United Kingdom. The CT&P business fits well within Archer’s overall strategy to grow our drilling and well services in UK and to further grow our integrated P&A service offering. Baker Hughes is divesting the CT&P busi...

Shell to pay UK tax for first time in five years

Shell to pay UK tax for first time in five years   Shell has said it will pay tax in the UK for the first time since 2017 after making huge global profits last year. The energy firm said it expected to "take a hit" of around $2bn (£1.7bn) on profits in the UK and the European Union in final three months the year. Governments have imposed taxes on energy companies to capture some of the massive profits firms have made through high oil and gas prices. Shell will...

33rd Round attracts 115 bids across 258 blocks or part-blocks

33rd Round attracts 115 bids across 258 blocks or part-blocks   Bids come in from 76 different companies  Priority blocks could be awarded during spring  Significant step forward in ensuring security of supply  More than one hundred applications have been received for the UK’s 33rd offshore oil and gas licensing round it was announced today.  The round which closed last week attracted a total of 115 bids across 258 blocks and part-blocks, from...

MSP calls for Scottish Government to make nuclear power part of the energy mix

MSP calls for Scottish Government to make nuclear power part of the energy mix   Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain has challenged the Scottish Government to embrace new nuclear technologies to enhance Scotland’s energy security. It is the latest round in the debate about what should happen in Caithness following the decommissioning of Dounreay, currently expected to be complete in 2033. Mr Mountain called on the SNP and the Greens to drop their opposition to small...

Scottish government lays out ‘fastest possible’ move away from oil and gas

Scottish government lays out ‘fastest possible’ move away from oil and gas   The Scottish government has proposed making the “fastest possible” transition away from oil and gas production, laying out an energy strategy that prioritises an accelerated shift to increased wind and hydrogen development. The ruling Scottish National party said on Tuesday that its draft energy strategy had a “presumption against new exploration for oil and gas” and ca...

Shell finds gas in North Sea prospects and embarks on commerciality evaluation

Shell finds gas in North Sea prospects and embarks on commerciality evaluation   UK-headquartered energy giant Shell has made a gas discovery in an exploration well in the North Sea, which was spudded using a Noble-owned rig. Shell hired Maersk Drilling, now part of Noble Corp., to provide the Maersk Resilient – currently called Noble Resilient – harsh-environment jack-up rig to carry out the drilling of the Pensacola well and sea...

Acquisition to lift North Sea player into top 10 UK producers and strengthen its oil & gas portfolio

Acquisition to lift North Sea player into top 10 UK producers and strengthen its oil & gas portfolio   UK-based oil and gas company Serica Energy has outlined the strategic rationale behind its proposed acquisition of Tailwind Energy Investments from a compatriot company, Tailwind Energy Holdings, explaining that this will diversify its portfolio, boosting it with a new production hub. In late December 2022, Serica Energy disclosed that it entered into an agreement wi...

More work in UK for Island Drilling’s semi-sub rig

More work in UK for Island Drilling’s semi-sub rig   Offshore rig owner Island Drilling has secured a contract extension for its semi-submersible rig, which will prolong the rig’s assignment in the UK. Island Drilling revealed on Thursday that Dana Petroleum exercised the optional work for the Island Innovator drilling rig. Thanks to this extension, the rig’s total work in the UK is estimated to be 110 days. According to the rig owner, this assignme...

Shell to pay £1.7bn in UK and EU windfall taxes for past quarter

Shell to pay £1.7bn in UK and EU windfall taxes for past quarter   The London-listed oil giant said in October it had not paid any UK windfall taxes due to heavy investment. Shell has revealed it will pay around two billion dollars (£1.7 billion) in UK and EU windfall taxes for the latest quarter. It comes after bosses at the London-listed oil giant said in October they had not paid any UK windfall taxes due to heavy investment in the North Sea. The firm told inve...

Operators fined total of £265 000 as NSTA moves to enforce net zero and security of supply requirements

Operators fined total of £265 000 as NSTA moves to enforce net zero and security of supply requirements   Three operators have been fined a total of £265 000 as the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) cracks down on behaviour that risks the industry’s drive to cut emissions and bolster the UK’s energy security. EnQuest has been fined £150 000 for flaring an excess 262 t of gas on the Magnus Field between 30 November and 1 December 2021, despite knowi...

Plans for North Sea Fields in 2023

Plans for North Sea Fields in 2023   Analytics company Wellingance announced Final investment decisions (FIDs) are being planned for a number of large greenfield developments in the UK North Sea in 2023. Welligence announced alongside the announced FIDs planned for Cambo and Rosebank, decisions are expected on Perth, Bentley and Bressay in the North Sea. EnQuest acquired operatorship of both Bentley and Bressay in 2021; large oilfields close by to one-an...

Elemental Energies acquires Vysus Senergy Wells

Elemental Energies acquires Vysus Senergy Wells   Wells-focused energy consultancy Elemental Energies, has today, Thursday 22 December 2022, confirmed that it has acquired Senergy Wells, a Vysus Group company, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is the first in a strategic buy-out of wells-focused firms by the newly formed independent specialist, which is due to open new offices in the city in early 2023. Elemental Energies, a privately owned company, has been launched to br...

North Sea operators hit with fines for historic emissions, over-production

North Sea operators hit with fines for historic emissions, over-production   A trio of companies with significant interest in oil and gas production off the British coast have been handed a combined bill of £265,000 for behaviour that undermines energy security and net zero transition. EnQuest, Spirit Energy and Equinor have all been named by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), which overseas oil and gas projects in the maritime region, and issued with individual charg...
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