Spud of Tayum-1 Exploration Well

Salamander announces the spud of the Tayum-1 exploration well in the Kutai PSC, offshore East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Salamander has a 23.4% non-operated interest in the Kutai PSC. The Tayum well will be drilled by the Randolph Yost jack-up rig to a depth of approximately 2,563 metres total vertical depth sub-sea and is targeting multiple stacked deltaic sandstone reservoirs of Upper Miocene age adjacent to the Dambus discovery. The mean gross pre-drill estimate of prospective recoverable resource is c. 80 Bcf, with an upside (P10) case of 182 Bcf. The operator is carrying c. 73 Bcf (2C) of contingent resource, with an upside case of 115 Bcf (3C), on the block and success at Tayum could result in a commercial development.

KrisEnergy completes Tayum-1 exploration well offshore Kalimantan, Indonesia

KrisEnergy Ltd (“KrisEnergy” or “the Company”), an independent upstream oil and gas company, announces it has completed drilling of the Tayum-1 exploration well in the Kutai production sharing contract (“PSC”) offshore Kalimantan in the Makassar Strait, Indonesia. KrisEnergy is the operator of the Kutai PSC. Tayum-1, located approximately 8 km east-southeast of the Dambus-1 gas indication well, was drilled directionally to a total depth of 11,095 feet measured depth (“feet MD”), or -8,410 feet total vertical depth subsea (“feet TVDSS”). Preliminary well log evaluation indicates that the well encountered approximately 49 vertical feet of net gas pay from multiple sandstone intervals between 2,377 feet MD (-2,295 feet TVDSS) and 7,180 feet MD (-5,903 feet TVDSS) within the Miocene to Pliocene section, from which two gas samples were recovered. Two further gas samples were also recovered from what are interpreted to be shaly-sand gas pay intervals between 6,647 feet MD and 6,660 feet MD (-5,567 to -5,575 feet TVDSS) and 7,366 feet MD to 7,402 feet MD (-6,023 feet TVDSS to -6,046 feet TVDSS). The well has been plugged and abandoned as a gas discovery (by MDT sampling) and the Company is evaluating the results together with the data from two earlier gas discoveries, Dambus and Mangkok. The Randolph Yost jack-up rig, which is owned by Shelf Drilling Co., was released on 10 July 2013. KrisEnergy holds a 54.6% operated working interest in the Kutai PSC and is partnered by Salamander Energy with 23.4% and Orchid Kutai Ltd. with 22%.

KrisEnergy begins drilling Bulu gas appraisal well in Indonesia

KrisEnergy Ltd (“KrisEnergy” or “the Company”), an independent upstream oil and gas company, announces that at 1000 GMT on 19 April 2003, the Randolph Yost jack-up rig commenced drilling of the Lengo-2 appraisal well in the Bulu production sharing contract (“PSC”) in the East Java Sea, Indonesia. The Lengo-2 appraisal well is intended to delineate the Lengo gas discovery drilled in 2008. Lengo-2 is approximately 3.3 km south of the Lengo-1 discovery well and is expected to reach a total measured depth of 2,726 feet (831 metres) in approximately 22 days. “Since KrisEnergy was established in 2009 we have been strategically building our portfolio of operated and non-operated assets along the entire exploration-to-production life cycle. Lengo-2 is the first well to drill under our operatorship and we have put great importance on the planning and execution of this well under a robust health, safety and environmental management system that of course follows international standards,” said Chris Gibson-Robinson, KrisEnergy’s Director of Exploration & Production. The Bulu PSC covers 697 sq km in three separate areas – Bulu A, Bulu B and Bulu C – over the East Java Basin in water depths of 50 to 60 metres. KrisEnergy holds a 42.5% operated working interest in the Bulu PSC and is partnered by AWE Limited with 42.5%, PT Satria Energindo with 10% and PT Satria Wijayakusuma with 5%. The Randolph Yost jack up rig is owned by Shelf Drilling Co. Subsequent to drilling of the Lengo-2 appraisal well, the rig will mobilise to the KrisEnergy operated Kutai PSC where it will drill the Tayum-1 exploration well.

Atwood Oceanics announces extension of 'Atwood Aurora' contract

Atwood Oceanics, Inc. (NYSE: ATW) announced today that one of its subsidiaries has been awarded an extension to the drilling services contract with Addax Petroleum Cameroon Limited for the jack-up drilling unit Atwood Aurora. The original contract for a one year term to be performed offshore Cameroon has been lengthened to a term of two years, and the operating dayrate for the full two-year term will be approximately $185,000 (inclusive of the 15% Cameroon withholding tax) or $158,000 (exclusive of the 15% Cameroon withholding tax), depending on the well location. Cost escalation provisions will apply at the beginning of the second year of the contract term. Contract commencement is expected to occur in July 2014 in direct continuation of previously announced contractual commitments. With this extension, the firm contractual commitment for the Atwood Aurora is expected to extend to July 2016.

'Noble Paul Romano' set to begin Malta well drilling in May 2014

Genel Energy’s (Genel) partner Mediterranean Oil And Gas Plc (MOG) have released an operational update regarding the drilling of the first wildcat well in Southern Malta. The Hagar Qim well in Block 7 of Area 4 is expected to be spudded during May by Noble Drilling’s ‘Noble Paul Romano’ semisub rig. The unit is currently undergoing its final inspection and test at Valletta Harbour in Malta and will soon mobilise to the drilling location.

Noble Corporation Announces Letter of Intent on Noble Jim Day

Noble Corporation (NYSE: NE) today announced that the Company has secured a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc for the 12,000 foot ultra-deepwater semisubmersible Noble Jim Day to operate in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Under the terms contemplated by the LOI, the effective date of the commitment would be February 15, 2011 and the contract would extend through January 31, 2012. The LOI contemplates that Noble would receive a standby rate if Shell is unable to secure drilling permits. Beginning the sooner of August 1, 2011 or Shell securing a drilling permit for use of the unit, the operating dayrate would be $485,000 per day. During the operating period, the unit would be eligible for a performance bonus of up to 15 percent of the dayrate. The LOI is subject to execution of the drilling contract, although the parties have agreed to a base form of contract and certain of the particular modifications for this work. "We are extremely pleased to see the Noble Jim Day be awarded this LOI so that it can go on the payroll and earn a dayrate effective from mid-February," said David W. Williams, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Noble Corporation. "This is an extremely high quality rig and there was significant customer interest, however, other opportunities that would have required a mobilization out of the U.S. Gulf would have precluded us from being able to begin recognizing revenue until much later in the year. Furthermore, the terms of the LOI ensure that under the contract we would earn a full operating dayrate beginning no later than August 1st with potential upside if Shell is able to secure a drilling permit sooner. And the short-term nature of the commitment positions us well if dayrates increase as expected in the latter half of the year."

'Noble Paul Romano' mobilises to drilling location in Malta

Genel Energy’s (Genel) partner Mediterranean Oil And Gas Plc (MOG) have released an operational update regarding the drilling of the first wildcat well in Southern Malta. MOG was informed by Phoenicia Energy Company Ltd (Phoenicia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Genel that the ‘Noble Paul Romano’ rig was accepted under contract on the 18th May 2014. The unit is now mobilising to the Hagar Qim 1 well location in Block 7 of Area 4 to the south of Malta. Announcement of the mobilisation of the rig means that the spudding of the Hagar Qim 1 well is now imminent.

Another “Bully” at Keppel heralds growing drillship business for the yard

Keppel Shipyard Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (Keppel O&M) has been awarded a contract valued at about SGD 145 million for the integration and completion of a new build “Bully” drillship. Keppel secured the contract with a company jointly owned by Frontier Drilling and Shell. This is the second drillship of the “Bully” rig design awarded to Keppel by the same owners. The first “Bully” drillship was awarded in June 2007 with delivery by fourth quarter 2009. The new hull will be built in China and is due to arrive at Keppel Shipyard in the first quarter of 2009. The drillship is expected to be delivered by the second quarter of 2010.

Keppel AmFELS delivers jackup rig to Atwood Oceanics

Keppel AmFELS Inc., the wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited in the Gulf of Mexico, has delivered a newbuild jackup rig to Atwood Oceanics Pacific Limited (AOPL). The rig was christened Atwood Aurora by Ms. Deborah Beck, Corporate Executive Director of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. (the parent company of AOPL), at a ceremony on 6 December 2008. Atwood Aurora has been awarded a contract by RWE Dea Nile GmbH ("RWE") for work offshore Egypt for two years with two separate options to extend the term to three years. Built to the LeTourneau Super 116E design with leg lengths of 477 feet that can be upgraded to 511 feet, the unit is capable of drilling wells up to 30,000 feet deep in water depths of 350 feet.

'Noble Paul Romano' spuds first Malta wildcat since 2002

Genel Energy’s (Genel) partner Mediterranean Oil And Gas Plc (MOG) have released an operational update regarding the drilling of the first wildcat well in Southern Malta. MOG was informed by Phoenicia Energy Company Ltd (Phoenicia), the operator of Malta Block 7 of Area 4, that the semi-submersible rig 'Noble Paul Romano' has been secured on location and that the Hagar Qim 1 well spudded at 08:00 hours on 24th May 2014. The well, located approximately 130km south of Malta in c.450m of water, is anticipated to take a minimum of 2 to 3 months to complete operations. The Hagar Qim well is the 11th well to be drilled offshore Malta. The last exploration well that was drilled was the Lampuko well in 2002.

Hagaq Qim prospect comes up dry in Malta

Genel Energy’s (Genel) partner Mediterranean Oil And Gas Plc (MOG) has informed that the ‘Noble Paul Romano’ rig, that was used to drill the exploration well targeting the Hagar Qim prospect in offshore Malta Area 4, Block 7, completed operations on the 7th July 2014 and has now moved off location. As announced by MOG on 3rd July 2014, MOG has received formal notification from Phoenicia Energy Company Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Genel Energy plc), the operator of Offshore Malta Area 4, Block 7 that the Hagar Qim-1 well has been drilled to the Eocene and plugged and abandoned with no indications of hydrocarbons. The ‘Noble Paul Romano’ will now be mobilised to Morocco, where it will drill an exploration well for Genel.

Genel spuds SM-1 exploration well in Morocco

Genel Energy’s partner Serica Energy plc (Serica) has confirmed the spudding of the SM-1 well in Morocco. The ‘Noble Paul Romano’ semisub spudded the well, located on the Sidi Moussa licence at 23:10 hours on 30th July 2014. The well is approximately 60km off the west coast of Morocco in 990m of water and is anticipated to take between 60 to 90 days to complete operations.

Genel announces discovery at Sidi Moussa block

San Leon, the AIM listed company focused on oil and gas exploration in Europe and North Africa, confirms that the SM-1 well in the Sidi Moussa block offshore Morocco has reached a total depth of 2,825mMDBRT (measured depth below rotary table) and encountered oil during drilling operations. Preparations are underway to perform cased hole testing. San Leon holds a 10% net working interest in the Sidi Moussa block, where Genel Energy is the operator. The SM-1 well was spud using the Noble Paul Romano semisub drilling rig on the 30th July 2014.

Commencement of Operations

ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC., (NYSE – ATW) a Houston-based International Drilling Contractor, announced that on April 21, 2009, the new-build ultra premium jack-up, ATWOOD AURORA (owned by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Atwood Oceanics Pacific Limited) commenced operations under its two-year contract with RWE Dea Nile GmbH (“RWE Dea”) offshore Egypt. Delays due to weather conditions negatively impacted the final commissioning process and the final rig placement. A longer than expected period for completing the commissioning of certain equipment to commence operations resulted in an adjustment in the dayrate to $133,000 which commenced on April 21, 2009. Certain net mobilization costs estimated to be approximately $1 million will be paid to RWE Dea. The contract includes a cost escalation clause and provides an option to add one additional year at a dayrate of US$178,000.