Petrobras Opens Offer Process for 2 Fields
Petrobras has started the binding phase for the process of selling its entire stakes in the Albacora and Albacora Leste concessions, mainly located in deepwaters in the Campos basin.
Qualified bidders will receive a process letter with instructions on the divestment process, including submission of binding proposals.
The Albacora field covers an area of 455 sq km (175 sq mi) in the northern part of the basin and in water depths ranging from 100-1,050 m (328-3,445 ft), 110 km (68 mi) from Cabo de São Tomé on the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State.
Last year Albacora averaged 23,200 b/d of oil and 408,500 cu m/d of gas. Petrobras operates with a 100% interest.
Rig Talks on South Africa’s Gazania
Africa Energy is looking to procure a rig for a well in 3Q on block 2B offshore South Africa’s west coast.
The Gazania-1 exploration well will target two prospects in what the company describes as a relatively low-risk rift basin oil play, up-dip from Soekor’s 1988 AJ-1 discovery.
Africa Energy has a 90% operated interest in the block, which will reduce to 27.5% once the South African government approves farm-outs agreed last year with Azinam and Panoro Energy.
In addition, the company is a partner to Total in block 11B/12B off South Africa’s southern coast, which recently delivered a second large deepwater gas-condensate discovery, Luiperd.
Deal on INEOS’ Offshore Norway Interests
INEOS Energy has agreed to sell its Norwegian E&P portfolio to PGNiG Upstream Norway for $615 million.
The deal includes all interests in production, licenses, fields, facilities and pipelines owned by the company on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Presently INEOS E&P Norge produces around 33,000 boe/d via its shares in three fields in the Norwegian Sea: Ormen Lange (14%), Alve (15%), and Marulk (30%).
It also has 22 offshore licenses, six operated, and equity in the Nyhamna terminal (8%) that receives gas from Ormen Lange and the Aasta Hansteen field.
Malaysia Adapts Terms for Offshore Bid Round
Petronas has launched the Malaysia Bid Round (MBR) 2021, which offers 17 offshore exploration blocks
Three are in the Malay basin (PM340, PM327 and PM342), four in the Sabah basin (SB409, SB412, 2W and X), and six are in the Sarawak basin (ND3A, SK4E, SK328, SK427, SK439 and SK440).
Included in blocks PM342, SK4E, SK328 and SB409 are six discovered fields.
MBR 2021 also offers four deepwater blocks (ND3A, 4E, 2W and X) off the coast of Sarawak and Sabah, where there have been exploration discoveries in recent years
Australia Opens First Decommissioning Center
National Energy Resources Australia has opened The Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA).
The new complex, which will address decommissioning of Australia’s aging oil and gas infrastructure, is supported by Chevron, Woodside Energy, Santos Ltd., Esso Australia, Vermilion Oil and Gas Australia and BHP, and service/ research organizations such as Baker Hughes, Atteris, Linch-Pin, AGR, Xodus Group, and Curtin University.