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CAIRO (Bloomberg) — Egypt is working on a new model for future oil and natural gas production contracts in undeveloped areas to spur exploration and help become self-sufficient in energy, oil ministry and company officials said.
The most populous Arab nation is seeking to transform itself into a gas re-exporting hub on the doorstep of energy-hungry Europe, and the planned contract overhaul is part of a broader strategy to liberalize its energy industry. Italian firm Eni SpA’s discovery of the giant offshore Zohr gas field in 2015 reignited waning investor interest in Egypt’s oil and gas industry, the country’s biggest single source of foreign direct investment.
Under the new system, companies would bear the cost of exploration and production in return for a share of the output, and they would be free to sell to whomever they wish, said the officials, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. The production shares would differ from concession to concession, depending on the investment, the officials said. The oil ministry didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Egypt’s existing production-sharing agreements entitle investors to about a third of a project’s output to help cover exploration and production costs. The remaining output is split between the company and the government, which then has the right to buy the producer’s entire share at predetermined prices.
International oil companies have long complained that the existing contracts are too bureaucratic, and Egypt, which for years exported gas to neighboring countries, struggled before Zohr’s discovery to attract major new energy investments. Its production-sharing agreements drew greater scrutiny after the 2011 uprisings against former President Hosni Mubarak, when the country began to experience fuel shortages and power blackouts.
Frontier Areas
The government stopped exporting gas and began to import comparatively more expensive liquefied natural gas, and though it diverted the entire production of major investors for local use, it failed to pay them on time. Arrears to international oil and gas companies mounted as the country battled a financial crisis, peaking at $6.2 billion in 2012. The overdue payments stood at $1.2 billion in July, and the government has promised to repay them all.
Production from the Zohr field may provide a solution to Egypt’s energy woes. Output from the offshore Mediterranean gas field has grown six-fold, prompting the government to announce an end to LNG imports. Egypt plans to resume exports next year, but with domestic demand for energy still growing rapidly, the country needs to accelerate exploration and attract investors to keep its budget from falling back into deficit.
The new investment model is expected to be applied to future agreements in undeveloped frontier areas, so existing deals wouldn’t be affected, the oil ministry and company officials said. The changes are to take effect starting in the second quarter of 2019, when exploration blocks offered in Egypt’s next bidding round in the Red Sea are allocated, a ministry official said. The tender is to be announced by year-end.
The new contracts would enable investors to use their full share of production as they see fit, without having to sell it to the government at a preset price, so long as they pay all exploration and production costs.
The government last year allowed private companies to import gas and re-export it through the country’s LNG facilities for the first time, ending a state monopoly. It has also adopted a flexible gas-pricing formula for companies already operating in Egypt to boost production.
Article Here- World Oil
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
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
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
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