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Noble Corp completes acquisition of Pacific Drilling Noble Corp has completed its acquisition of Pacific Drilling, effective 15 April. The agreement for the two companies to combine in an all-stock transaction had been announced on 25 March. Robert Eifler, Noble President and CEO, said, “This is an important step for Noble as we continue to strengthen our fleet and focus on delivering safe and efficient services to our global customers.”  Noble expects to realize annual pre-tax cost synergies of at least $30 million. Additionally, it will move to dispose of the Pacific Bora and Pacific Mistral drillships. The acquisition is expected to enhance Noble’s position in the ultra-deepwater market, solidify its relationship with key customers, facilitate re-entry into both the ...

IADC KREW leads evolution in well control training IADC recently launched the Knowledge Retention & Education for our Workforce (KREW) system. KREW is a crucial tool for closing skills gaps, utilized in conjunction with IADC’s WellSharp program and certifications. The continuous-learning platform is designed to help the drilling industry retain critical on-the-job knowledge in between well control recertification training.  In this video, DC Associate Editor Stephen Whitfield talks to two members of the KREW Steering Committee – Mike Garvin, Senior VP Operations at Patterson-UTI Drilling, and Jeremy Sokol, Technical Training Unit Manager at Chevron.  IADC recently began offering two-year access to KREW with WellSharp Live. Effective 1 May, WellSharp Live test codes and certificates for Driller and Supervisor level certification courses ...

Rig count and wells drilled are expected to rise this year, but return to pre-downturn activity won’t happen at current operator spending levels By Stephen Whitfield, Associate Editor Like all other US shale basins, activity in the Permian Basin took a significant blow last year amid the oil price crash. But things appear to be looking up, with the International Energy Agency estimating a 5.5 million bbl/day rebound in global oil demand this year and WTI staying above $50/bbl since 7 January. The scene appears set for a recovery in the Permian.  However, the length of the road back to pre-pandemic activity levels is still uncertain. Permian rig count had peaked at 418 the week of 13 March last year, ...

Giant-sized discoveries and low breakevens continue to fan enthusiasm for this South American basin despite recent disappointments By Stephen Whitfield, Associate Editor Just offshore the countries of Guyana and Suriname is a basin that has become the focal point of a major South American oil boom. With ExxonMobil making 18 discoveries in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana since 2015 and Total making four discoveries at Block 58 offshore Suriname since January 2020, the area continues to generate significant attention from all stakeholders. For offshore drilling contractors specifically, anticipation is high that this emerging region could help to boost both near-term and long-term rig demand.  The Guyana-Suriname Basin currently has eight active rigs, up from five in 2020. ExxonMobil, the only operator ...

The contract, which covers work at the Bacalhau field offshore Brazil, is valued at $380 million and includes four one-year options. Work is expected to begin in Q1 2022.

Ardyne, a fishing, milling and casing recovery provider, has announced a partnership with Dynasty Energy Services, a company that specializes fishing services and plug and abandonment (P&A) serivces, to deliver enhanced P&A services around the world. The exclusive partnership enables easier access to downhole technologies from both companies to deliver major cost and time efficiencies to the global P&A sector. As part of the agreement, Ardyne’s US team of five people will transfer to Dynasty, ensuring continuity from employees experienced in running Ardyne equipment over the last three years in US onshore and offshore applications. The alliance broadens Dynasty’s market offering in the Western Hemisphere, while also enhancing Ardyne’s technology offering in the North Sea and wider Eastern Hemisphere. It ...

Odfjell Drilling's Deepsea Yantai semisubmersible will drill four production wells in the North Sea field as part of the campaign, which is expected to last 110 days. Duva is a fast-track project being developed as a subsea installation tied back to the Neptune-operated Gjøa semi-submersible platform.

The Maersk Discoverer semisubmersible will begin exploration work in the Corentyne Block offshore Guyana in 3Q 2021. The contract has an estimated duration of 75-85 days. It also contains an option for an additional well in the Demerara Block.

The Maersk Integrator will drill an additional exploration well for Aker BP offshore Norway starting in December 2021. The contract's firm value is $9.6 million, and it is expected to last for 36 days.

In April, IADC launched Knowledge Retention & Education for our Workforce (KREW), an online system designed to provide continuous learning opportunities for well control concepts and skills. In this video interview with DC, two members of the KREW Steering Committee – Mike Garvin, Senior VP Operations at Patterson-UTI, and Jeremy Sokol, Technical Training Unit Manager at Chevron, discusses the details of how KREW came to be, as well as why they believe KREW is important for the industry.