Gulf of Mexico

Ashtead Technology has acquired Louisiana-based subsea equipment rental and cutting services specialist, Aqua-Tech Solutions, as part of the company’s international growth plans in the US.

The move is part of Delek’s strategy to expand its operations beyond the Eastern Mediterranean region. Shell, meanwhile, is in the midst of a $10-billion divestment program.

The oil and gas major has set aside $100 million to fund projects that will deliver new greenhouse gas emissions reductions in its upstream oil and gas operations.

The major’s dominant showing in US Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 252 propelled another rise in bids and dollars for the biannual regionwide auction.

Time spent on bottom drilling is only approximately 10% of the time consumed by drilling operations, but this still provides a significant opportunity for savings if it can be reduced.

LLOG’s subsea pipeline tiebacks and structures connecting the Stonefly development to the Ram Powell platform are scheduled to be installed in Q3 2019.

The decision comes after the company’s discovery of an additional 400 million bbl of oil in place at Atlantis, one of the largest fields in the gulf.

DEA Deutsche Erdoel is buying Sierra Oil & Gas, giving the German operator stakes in six new blocks off Mexico—including the Zama discovery, where appraisal drilling is now under way.

The Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has announced a new collaboration to support a pilot effort to convert an existing ocean mooring owned by Shell into the first long-term deep ocean observatory in the Gulf of Mexico.

Majors BP and Chevron have overcome development challenges and delays to launch their respective Clair Ridge and Big Foot projects.