Alberta Premier & Oil Sands Company Execs Look Ahead To Restarting Operations.Suncor CEO Steve Williams and the senior executives of 13 other resource companiesmet with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley at the Alberta Legislature to discuss the effect of the Fort McMurray fire on their operations and when they would be able to resume production. [cbc.ca, Oilpro]
Oil Gains On Nigeria Supply Disruption. Oil prices rose on Wednesday as worries about supply disruptions resurfaced after Shell announced the closure of a key Nigerian pipeline. [CNBC]
Newfield Lays-Off 50 Employees From Tulsa Office, Relocates 150 More To The Woodlands, TX. In an 8-K filing on Tuesday, Texas-based Newfield Exploration announced plans to consolidate its operating functions to its headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas. This will involve a workforce reduction in its Tulsa offices of about 50 employees and the relocation of 150 more Tulsa employees to The Woodlands. [Oilpro]
The Saudi-Iran Oil Proxy War Heats Up With Bin Salman’s Consolidation Of Power. The emergence of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a powerful leader in King Salman’s Saudi Arabia is a phenomenon that demands attention. King Salman has given him the authority to steer the country’s economic policy, coordinate national defense, and, recently, to render final decisions regarding the oil sector. [Oilpro]
France Reportedly Considers Banning U.S. Shale Gas Imports. France is considering aban on U.S. shale gas imports, French Energy Minister Segolene Royal said on Tuesday in response to a question in Parliament. Royal said she is investigating legal methods of prohibiting the imports, because France has already banned shale gas exploration due to environmental concerns. [Oilpro]
Noble Corp Reaches $540m Agreement Over Drillship Cancellations. Noble Corporation and Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas have come to an agreement over the cancellation of contracts for drillships Noble Sam Croftand and Noble Tom Madden.[Splash 247, Oilpro]
ExxonMobil’s Torrance Refinery Restarted More Than A Year After Explosion.ExxonMobil’s refinery in Torrance, California, was restarted Tuesday morning, over a year after an explosion rocked the facility. The company shut down a pollution control device for six hours early Tuesday as a precautionary measure during the re-start process. [Oilpro]
North Sea Drilling Outlook Remains Bleak, Says Awilco. Drilling contractor Awilco Drilling posted zero revenues for Q1 this year and a net loss of US18.7 million, thanks toone rig being out of work and another undergoing work. [oedigital, Oilpro]
Maersk Training Signs Global Drilling Simulation Training Agreement With Statoil.Maersk Training has signed a global framework agreement with Statoil to provide drilling simulation training for the next three years with an option to extend for additional two years. [Oilpro]
Kenya May Have A Lot More Oil Than Previously Thought. Kenya may be sitting on more oil than previously believed. Following a new discovery, the Canadian energy group Africa Oil added 150 million more barrels of oil to its reserves in the Lokichar Basin in the country’s north—24% more than earlier estimates. [Quartz]
Meet Chris MacDougall Of Antigonish, Canada. He writes, “After starting my oilfield career on the rigs in Alberta, I was presented with an opportunity to work in the offshore marine seismic industry in 2001, which allowed me to move back to my home town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.” [Oilpro]