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Latest news - Regional

Labour Risks Rising In North Sea

Increasing incidence of labour strike action in the UK and Norwegian offshore infrastructure raises the risk to the timely completion of project timelines as well as the longer term investment attractiveness of the region. Unresolved labour disputes raise the risk of disruption to project timelines. Further striking and powerful active labour unions raises risk to investment attractiveness over the medium term despite localised disruption, overall crude price impact is muted over the past m...

BP-led Clair Ridge Field Moves Closer To Production In North Sea

Clair Ridge is the second development on the Clair Field, which was discovered more than 40 years ago and brought online in 2005. BP  and partners are moving closer to marking first oil from the Clair Ridge development west of Shetland in the North Sea, where they are targeting some 640 million barrels (MMbbl) of recoverable resources. “We expect startup before the end of the year and we’re about 97% complete on the Clair Ridge project,” BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley told an...

Total offshore oil platforms strike ended at midnight: union

A 12-hour strike at three of Total’s British offshore oil platforms that started at midday on Monday ended as planned at midnight, a spokesman for Unite said on Tuesday. Britain’s largest labor union has also scheduled 24-hour stoppages on Aug. 6 and 20 and a 12-hour strike on Aug. 13 if it is unable agree new rotas with Total. No formal talks with Total were planned but some informal contact is ongoing, he said.

TechX Ventures to create new deep science technology for oil and gas

Today, the Oil & Gas Technology Centre launches TechX Ventures – a partnership with Deep Science Ventures (DSV) that combines deep science with engineering to create start-up companies with technologies that position the oil and gas industry for a sustainable future in a low carbon economy.    As part of the TechX Ventures programme, DSV has recruited three teams of scientists and engineering experts from across the world to tackle key challenges. The nine-month programme...

Green shoots of recovery for North Sea oil and gas

In a remote harbour just north of Inverness, contractors are busy working on a giant metal structure whose bright colours stand out against the horizon. The Maersk Innovator offshore oil rig is getting ready to leave Cromarty Firth to drill at least three development wells in the North Sea. It was a very different scene two years ago when the Cromarty Firth was full of idle rigs. The oil price crash which began in late 2014 and saw Brent crude plummet from $115 a barrel to less than $30 in...

Strike at Total's UK offshore oil platforms set for Monday

A 12-hour strike at Total’s offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea will go ahead as planned on July 30, a spokesman for Britain’s Unite the Union said on Friday, adding that no further talks with Total were currently planned.Around 40 union members started strike action last Monday, stopping work for 24 hours at the Alwyn, Elgin and Dunbar platforms in the North Sea, but stored crude cushioned against any immediate oil supply disruption.Unite the Union, Britain’s largest labour union, h...

Four national award nominations for Infinity Partnership

Infinity Partnership, the Aberdeen accountancy and business advisory firm, has been shortlisted for four national awards. The business has been named a finalist in three categories at the 2018 British Accountancy Awards, and has been nominated in the 2018 Accounting Excellence Awards. Both award ceremonies take place in London in September. For the British awards, Infinity has been shortlisted in the Independent Firm of the Year (Scotland, Northern Ireland & North England). The bus...

IChemE award for energy consultancy Xodus Group

International energy consultancy Xodus Group has been presented with the Silver Corporate Partner Award by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). The company received the recognition for its commitment to supporting engineers’ professional development and advocating the profession to school pupils through various outreach activities. IChemE’s Deputy President, Andrew Thompson, and Chief Executive, Jon Prichard, presented Caroline Laurenson, Xodus’ senior consultant and IChemE Accre...

Fracking firm's £10m county investment

Shale gas exploration firm Cuadrilla has issued its latest Putting Lancashire First” commitments tracker to include figures up to 30 June 2018. Its figures show that to date more than £10m has been invested into the Lancashire economy by Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road fracking operations. During the second quarter of 2018, Cuadrilla’s direct spend with suppliers in the county increased to £8.93m. Indirect spend locally, the amount of money Cuadrilla’s suppliers have sub contracted t...

Union workers begin 24-hour strike on Total's North Sea oil platforms

Britain’s largest labour union Unite said that around 40 rig workers started a 24-hour strike at 0500 GMT on Monday on the Alwyn, Elgin and Dunbar oil and gas platforms in the British North Sea.The strike came after the union and Total, which operates the platforms, failed to agree over work shifts and pay, a union spokesman said.The row centres on a wage review outlined by Total and concerns that it may force offshore  workers to switch to a three on, three off rotation.

Summer of Engineering brings learning to life for youngsters

From the wonders of slime to learning more about rocks, the fun of engineering is being brought to life for youngsters throughout the summer. Summer of Engineering, sponsored by SPE Aberdeen Section, is being held at the Aberdeen Science Centre until 31 August and will take visitors on a journey through the different engineering disciplines. Offering a range of activities and educational workshops to keep families occupied, the event aims to inspire the next generation of innovators an...

EnQuest hit with HSE notice

A piece of equipment weighing more than two-and-a-half tonnes landed just 2ft from a member of deck crew on a North Sea platform, it has emerged. Two companies have been served with improvement notices by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident on the Magnus installation 100 miles (160km) north east of Shetland. The equipment fell 5ft in May, missing one worker by 2ft and another by 15ft. Improvement notices were served on EnQuest and Odfjell Drilling. A...

Texo Group Make Senior Management Appointments

The new integrated asset services specialist, Texo Group, has announced two senior management appointments. Robert Dalziel joins as Group Managing Director and Garry Kennie has been appointed Engineering Director, Texo Engineering. These strategic personnel appointments follow two high profile announcements last week: the launch of the engineering and technology group and the acquisition of Navitas Compliance Solutions; forming Texo Compliance. Robert Dalziel returns to the Oil &a...

Seatronics increase investment in Teledyne Marine Pipe Tracking Technology

Seatronics, an Acteon company, global leaders in the rental and sale of marine electronic equipment has increased its investment in Teledyne Marine pipe tracking technology with the purchase of a HydroPACT 660 system to add to Seatronics’ extensive global rental fleet.The new, compact HydroPACT 660 sports a single small form factor coil array measuring 1,200mm x 600mm at a weight of only 15.8kg that offers an operating range of greater than 85% of that of the significantly larger HydroPACT 440 s...

Brent crude oil hits three-month low as output rises

 Global benchmark Brent crude oil hit a three-month low on Tuesday as worries over supply disruptions eased and the focus moved to increasing production and potential damage to global growth from the U.S.-China trade dispute. Benchmark Brent crude oil LCOc1 fell 49 cents to an intraday low of $71.35 a barrel, its lowest since April 17, before recovering to around $71.65, down 19 cents, by 1020 GMT. Brent fell 4.6 percent on Monday. U.S. light crude CLc1 was down 15 cents at $67.91...

Shetland gas plant strike action postponed by one week

Planned strike action at Total's gas plant in Shetland next week has been postponed by one week. The Unite union said the move is to allow more talks with the French energy company. The proposed strike action by workers on the Alwyn, Dunbar and Elgin platforms will still go ahead, which will see workers down tools in a series of 24 hour and 12 hour strikes. Unite regional officer John Boland said there would be a “postponement at Shetland Gas Plant of overtime ban and 24-hour stop...

UK oil and gas skills strategy project launched

A project to develop a new UK oil and gas skills strategy has been launched following wide spread industry and government support for the findings in OPITO’s UKCS Workforce Dynamics Review.OPITO has appointed Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) Oil and Gas Institute to support the development of the strategy over the next six months.This will involve an industry survey and workshops to help develop a blueprint to support skills diversification and digital transformation. The Workforce Dynamics Revi...

Maersk Drilling Secures North Sea Contract Extensions

Maersk Drilling has been awarded contract extensions for the high-efficiency jackup rigs Maersk Resolute and Maersk Resolve by Petrogas E&P Netherlands BV and Wintershall Noordzee BV, the company said July 13. The extensions allow the two rigs to continue their high-performance operations in the North Sea. Netherlands BV is continuing its work in the Dutch Sector of the North Sea where it has drilled multiple wells since commencing operations in June 2017. During the campaign, Maer...

Gas Leak on the Armada

Oil and Gas Vision has received reports the Armada platform has been shut down since Friday evening around 5pm due to a gas leak. The leak was detected by ops after deposits were identified in the sea. It is believed the gas detector systems failed. We have also been advised the platform remains shut down three days later. Chrysaor has confirmed, “everyone on the Armada is safe and well at this time”. Armada Hub installation, which consists of Drake, Hawkins and Fleming...

Total prepares sale of $1.5 billion of UK North Sea fields

 France’s Total is set to sell a third of its stake in Laggan Tormore gas field along with other oil and gas assets in Britain’s North Sea that could fetch a total of $1.5 billion, four banking and industry sources said. The divestment will include stakes in a number of smaller fields Total acquired as part of the 2017 $4.95 billion deal to buy the oil and gas division of A.P. Moller-Maersk, the sources said. The deal was completed in March. Those fields include Golden Eagle, in w...
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