Archive for July, 2011
BOE News Flash: Transocean Marianas in danger of sinking, 68 evacuated
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged accidents, crack, drilling, evacuation, Nigeria, offshore drilling, safety, sinking, Transocean Marianas on July 6, 2011| 10 Comments »
This information is unconfirmed but the source is highly reputable:
We just received word this morning that the Transocean Marianas rig has developed a large crack in one of the pontoons on the #5/#6 anchor chain locker while they were picking up anchors, and is currently taking on water and listing. The bilge pumps are keeping up (barely), but there’s certainly concern that it might sink on location. So far, 68 people have been evacuated from location.
According to RigZone, the Marianas was working offshore Nigeria. [Per one of our readers, (see comment below) Petrodata shows the rig operating offshore Ghana.]
More: The Marianas, spudded the Macondo in October, 2009, but was damaged by Hurricane Ida and towed to shore. The Deepwater Horizon was the rig that replaced the Marianas.
Four for the Fourth
Posted in Offshore Energy - General, tagged energy independence, Fourth of July, hydrokinetic energy, offshore energy, offshore oil and gas, Offshore Wind on July 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »
On Independence Day, four keys to realizing our offshore energy potential:
- A national offshore oil and gas program as required by the OCS Lands Act.
- Industry safety and pollution prevention leadership including comprehensive data analyses, research, standards development, management programs, and internal auditing. All operators, contractors, and service companies must participate.
- An efficient, risk-based regulatory program that scrutinizes performance, indentifies weaknesses, and demands excellence.
- Cooperative programs to develop cost-effective, reliable, and safe wind and hydrokinetic energy systems.
PTT (Thailand) seeks damages from Hyundai
Posted in accidents, tagged Indonesia, Montara, pipeline rupture, PTT on July 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »
I thought this Platts Oilgram News report was interesting given PTT’s objection to Indonesia’s claim for damages from PTT’s Montara blowout:
Thai energy authorities are pointing fingers at South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries for causing damage to one of its offshore pipelines that slashed natural gas supplies to the kingdom by 14%. State-controlled oil and gas company PTT is also planning to seek hefty compensation claims from Hyundai Heavy as well as from Diphaya Insurance, the Thai state-owned insurance firm, which provides coverage for the company’s works, a senior PTT executive said June 30.
Gulf of Mexico Ultra-deep Gas: Will the promise finally be realized?
Posted in gas, Offshore Energy - General, tagged Gulf of Mexico, natural gas, ultra-deep gas on July 1, 2011| 1 Comment »
From Platts Oilgram News:
Shares of McMoRan Exploration jumped more than 12% June 29 after the company announced that additional drilling has confirmed its geological theories about the high potential of drilling ultra-deep natural gas prospects in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Hype, reality, or something in-between? One has to weigh the resource promise against the operational challenges, high costs, and gas market uncertainties.
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 