Drilling Contractor Magazine

06/18/2026

Equinor and partners agreed on a development concept for Ringvei Vest, a subsea project in the Norwegian North Sea that combines seven discoveries and one prospect into a single development tied back to the Troll B platform.

Equinor and partners agreed on a development concept for Ringvei Vest, a subsea project in the Norwegian North Sea that combines seven discoveries and one prospect into a single development tied back to the Troll B platform. The concept calls for 13 wells through six subsea templates. Well streams w...

06/18/2026

Vår Energi and partner Kistos Energy Norway took a final investment decision on the Balder Next New Wells project in the North Sea. The first phase comprises seven new wells tied back to the Jotun floating production, storage and offloading vessel, with start-up expected in Q4 2027.

Vår Energi and partner Kistos Energy Norway took a final investment decision on the Balder Next New Wells project in the North Sea. The first phase comprises seven new wells tied back to the Jotun floating production, storage and offloading vessel, with start-up expected in Q4 2027. The project is ...

06/18/2026

Georgina Energy paid a deposit to Ensign Australia for mobilization of the Ensign 970 rig ahead of drilling at the Hussar prospect in exploration permit EP513, onshore Western Australia.

Georgina Energy paid a deposit to Ensign Australia for mobilization of the Ensign 970 rig ahead of drilling at the Hussar prospect in exploration permit EP513, onshore Western Australia. The well will be drilled to a depth of 3,200 m, targeting the Townsend Formation and fractured Neoproterozoic bas...

06/17/2026

Transocean was awarded a five-well contract with Harbour Energy in Norway for the Transocean Norge. The estimated 300 days of work is expected to begin in Q1 2028, in direct continuation of the rig’s current program. The contract includes three one-well options.

Transocean was also awarded a two-well contract with Santos in Australia for the Transocean Equinox. The estimated 90 days of work is expected to begin in Q2 2027. The contract includes five one-well options.

Transocean was awarded a five-well contract with Harbour Energy in Norway for the Transocean Norge. The estimated 300 days of work is expected to begin in Q1 2028, in direct continuation of the rig’s current program. The contract includes three one-well options. Transocean was also awarded a two-w...

06/17/2026

TAG Oil’s NDC-9 drilling rig is expected to mobilize to the Badr Oil Field (BED-1) concession in Egypt’s Western Desert this month for the upcoming T-200 well.

06/17/2026

Arrow has since spud the IC-4HZ well, also targeting the Ubaque formation, on 13 June. The company plans both horizontal and vertical development wells at Icaco going forward.

Arrow Exploration drilled the IC-2 exploration well at the Icaco field on the Tapir Block in Colombia’s Llanos Basin to a total measured depth of 12,020 ft (7,399 ft TVD), encountering multiple hydrocarbon-bearing intervals. The well was spud on 18 May and reached target depth on 26 May. Log analy...

06/17/2026

Wildcat well 6507/8-D-4 CH was drilled in production license 124, 240 km west of Sandnessjøen, using the Transocean Encourage drilling rig.

06/17/2026

Beacon Offshore drilled the first Monument field development well to a total measured depth of 32,250 ft, encountering 245 net ft of pay in the Lower Wilcox reservoir and confirming pre-drill expectations. Beacon will now drill a second Monument well before moving into completion operations on both wells.

Beacon Offshore drilled the first Monument field development well to a total measured depth of 32,250 ft, encountering 245 net ft of pay in the Lower Wilcox reservoir and confirming pre-drill expectations. Beacon will now drill a second Monument well before moving into completion operations on both....

06/16/2026

CleanSight allows drilling crews to react in near-real-time to events in the wellbore, reducing the risk of pack-off and the nonproductive time and costs incurred when recovering from stuck pipe events.

DrillDocs and Aker BP expanded deployment of DrillDocs’ CleanSight digital shaker surveillance system under a new framework agreement for technology development and implementation. The latest installation aboard Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Nordkapp marked the next step in Aker BP’s planned expa...

06/16/2026

The Blackrod Phase 1 development began production on 31 May as the initial well pairs converted from steam circulation to production. The remaining well pairs undergoing steam circulation will be converted to oil production as they reach the necessary conformance conditions.

International Petroleum achieved first oil at Phase 1 of the Blackrod thermal oil sands project in Alberta, ahead of schedule and on budget. The Blackrod Phase 1 development began production on 31 May as the initial well pairs converted from steam circulation to production. The remaining well pairs....