Archives

Home   >   Archives   

Chevron leaving Norway, last exploration license up for sale

Rig Lynx
  • By Rig Lynx
  • Oct 11, 2018
  • Category : Archives
  • Views : 709

OSLO (Bloomberg) — Chevron Corp. is selling its last remaining oil exploration license in Norway, putting it one step closer to a full retreat from the aging North Sea basin as the U.S. major seeks higher returns elsewhere.

Chevron’s activity off Norway has been limited for years, but the decision to relinquish its last asset there again shows its reluctance to bet on mature regions such as northern Europe. The company is seeking to sell most of its UK fields — it agreed to divest its stake in the Rosebank project to Equinor ASA last week — and offloaded its only asset in Denmark in September.

Now Chevron has agreed to transfer its 20% stake in the PL859 license in the Barents Sea, off Norway’s northern tip, to DNO ASA, according to a Sept. 28 letter from the Norwegian energy ministry obtained by Bloomberg. The deal “implies that Chevron Norge AS shuts down its operations in Norway and leaves the Norwegian shelf permanently,” the ministry said in the letter.

Chevron and DNO didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment.

Korpfjell dud

Chevron hasn’t had any producing assets in Norway since it sold its stake in Draugen oil field in 2014. Yet, when the government opened up a new exploration area bordering Russian waters in 2016, the company secured a stake in the PL859 license. That permit held the biggest known remaining prospect off Norway — a rare opportunity to make a gigantic find in the region.

But the prospect — the much-anticipated Korpfjell structure — proved a disappointment last year when operator Equinor made an uncommercial gas discovery. The Norwegian company has committed to a deeper well on the same prospect, and plans to drill it next year.

Chevron is the first oil major to leave Norway altogether, though rivals have also scaled back their presence following strategic reviews prompted by the 2014-2017 industry downturn. ExxonMobil Corp. has sold all its operated assets in the country, while BP Plc merged its local unit with a smaller Norwegian company, and Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Total SA have divested assets.

Chevron’s Rosebank disposal came after the company said in July it was seeking to sell most of its oil and gas fields off Britain. Consultant Wood Mackenzie Ltd. said the transaction could “spell the end for Chevron in the UK and Europe.”

Original Article Here


Check out our other current stories!

A new community just for oil and gas…

Download the app free right here!

Comments (0)

Leave Comment


Check out our other stories

Rig Lynx
Mar 09, 2023

  Valaris Limited announced new contracts awarded subsequent to issuing the Company’s most recent fleet status report on February 21, 2023.   Three-year contract with Petrobras for drillship VALARIS DS-8. The rig will be reactivated for this contract. The total contract value is approximately $500 million, including a $30 million mobilization fee. 100-day contract with a TotalEnergies affiliate for drillship VALARIS DS-12. The contract is expected to commence in second quarter 2023. 70-day contract with Beach Energy offshore New Zealand for heavy duty modern jackup VALARIS 107. The contract is expected to commence in third quarter 2023. The total contract value is approximately $26 million. President and Chief Executive Officer Anton Dibowitz said, “We are particularly pleased to have secured the award for preservation stacked drillship VALARIS DS-8, for a contract that is expected to generate a meaningful return over the firm contract term, and we remain focused on exercising our operational leverage in a disciplined manner. This most recent award represents the sixth contract awarded to one of our high-quality stacked floaters since mid-2021, and speaks volumes about our demonstrated track record of project execution when reactivating rigs.”   Dibowitz added, “Following the reactivation of VALARIS DS-17 and DS-8, we will have ten floaters working across the golden triangle, including four drillships in Brazil, a market where we expect to see continued growth over the next several years.”   Updated Guidance   As a result of the contract awarded to VALARIS DS-8, which will require the rig to be reactivated from preservation stack, we are updating our first quarter 2023 and full-year 2023 guidance provided on our fourth quarter 2022 conference call on February 21, 2023.   First Quarter 2023   Contract drilling expense is expected to increase by approximately $5 million to $385 million to $395 million. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to decrease by approximately $5 million to negative $5 million to breakeven. Adjusted EBITDAR, which adds back one-time reactivation expense, is expected to be $25 million to $30 million, unchanged from the guidance provided on our fourth quarter 2022 conference call. Full-Year 2023   Revenues are anticipated to be $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion, unchanged from the guidance provided on our fourth quarter 2022 conference call. Contract drilling expense is expected to increase by approximately $60 million to $1.49 billion to $1.59 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to decrease by approximately $60 million to $180 million to $220 million. Adjusted EBITDAR, which adds back one-time reactivation expense, is expected to be $280 million to $320 million, unchanged from the guidance provided on our fourth quarter 2022 conference call. Capital expenditures are expected to increase by $60 million to $320 million to $360 million. Source: Valaris Join our mailing list here We are #1 on Google and Bing for the "Largest Mobile Energy Network" Come join our community! Download the Rig Lynx app here  

Rig Lynx
Mar 09, 2023

  Seadrill Limited announced that the West Neptune has executed approximately six months of term extensions with LLOG Exploration Offshore, L.L.C in the US Gulf of Mexico.   The extensions will commence in direct continuation of the existing term, and will keep the rig busy until Q3 2024, furthering Seadrill and LLOG’s long-term association. Total contract value for the extension is approximately $79 million. Source: Seadrill   Join our mailing list here We are #1 on Google and Bing for the "Largest Mobile Energy Network" Come join our community! Download the Rig Lynx app here  

Rig Lynx
Mar 09, 2023

  Semisub rig owner Dolphin Drilling has inked a new contract with Peak Petroleum in Nigeria for its 1974-built Blackford Dolphin.   The firm contract, which follows the letter of award in January, gives the Euronext Growth-listed owner of three rigs the potential to extend the unit’s backlog by a minimum of 120 days and up to 485 days. The deal adds to and will be a direct continuation of the previously announced 12-month contract with General Hydrocarbon Limited (GHL).   Øystein Stray Spetalen-backed company said the effective dayrate associated with the minimum firm period of the contract is $325,000, including the mobilisation fee.   “The final award of the contract for Blackford Dolphin shows the opportunities in Nigeria at a strong dayrate, in addition to building on the backlog for the rig. It also underlines the attractiveness of our assets, and we look forward to returning to revenue-generating operations in 2023,” noted Bjørnar Iversen, CEO of Dolphin Drilling.   Source: Dolphin   Join our mailing list here We are #1 on Google and Bing for the "Largest Mobile Energy Network" Come join our community! Download the Rig Lynx app here