From a data partnership to a milestone deployment of new technology, below is a compilation of the latest headlines in the E&P space.
Activity
CNOOC Starts Production at Weizhou 5-3 Oilfield Development Project
CNOOC Ltd. has begun production at the Weizhou 5-3 Oilfield Development Project in the Beibu Gulf Basin of the South China Sea, with an average water depth of approximately 35 m.
The main production facility includes a self-installing wellhead platform, which leverages the adjacent existing facilities for development. Plans call for 10 development wells, including seven production wells, two water injection wells and one gas injection well. The project is expected to achieve a plateau production of approximately 10,000 boe/d in 2026. The oil property is medium crude.
CNOOC holds a 51% interest in the project, and Smart Oil Investment Ltd. holds 49%.
TPAO Joins BP-SOCAR Partnership in Caspian Sea
BP, SOCAR and TPAO have signed several agreements enabling TPAO to join the production sharing agreement (PSA) for the Shafag-Asiman offshore block in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea.
Under the current agreement, BP and SOCAR, Azerbaijan’s national oil company, each own 50% of the partnership. TPAO will now hold 30% interest and the other two entities 35% each.
The deal aims to accelerate further evaluation of the block to help identify the most suitable option to progress the project.
Additional evaluation activities will be carried out, including the drilling of a well into the Lower Surakhany reservoir. The exploration period under the PSA has been extended to allow for further evaluation.
The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2025. BP will remain the operator of the PSA during the exploration period.
TotalEnergies, Shell Sign Agreement to Exchange Interests in Brazil
TotalEnergies has agreed with Shell Brasil Petróleo to exchange its 20% non-operated interest in the Gato do Mato project for an additional 3% interest in Lapa, a producing offshore oil field. Upon closing, TotalEnergies will increase its stake in Lapa to 48% (operator), alongside Shell (27%) and Repsol Sinopec (25%).
Lapa, in the Santos Basin, 270 km off the coast of Brazil, is a deep-offshore field operated by TotalEnergies. By the end of 2025, the Lapa South-West tie-back development, approved in 2023, will increase production by 25,000 bbl/d upon start-up. Total output from the field is anticipated to average 60,000 bbl/d.
The agreement is subject to customary conditions.
Contracts and company news
TGS to Bring Data from Oseberg into Well Data Analytics Platform
Energy data company TGS has announced a strategic partnership with Oseberg, a premier provider of lease and regulatory data for the energy sector. This collaboration brings Oseberg lease data attributes into TGS’ Well Data Analytics (WDA) platform for enhanced analysis.
In the first phase of the integration, WDA users can now access lease ownership data for Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, as well as other subsurface well data.
E&P companies can use the data to plan wells, reduce legal and operational risks and optimize development strategies by aligning drilling programs with land ownership and leasehold constraints. Key use cases include M&A analysis, project site planning, investment evaluation and resource inventory management.
Global Compression Services Opens New Facility in New Mexico
Global Compression Services, a provider of natural gas compressor equipment parts and services, has opened a new 14,000-sq-ft facility in Bloomfield, New Mexico.
This facility will provide sales and services to customers throughout the San Juan Basin, replacing Global’s Farmington site in New Mexico. Operations will begin the week of June 9 and the team will be led by Kyle West, the long-time Farmington branch manager with more than 30 years of experience at Global Compression.
“The new location’s increased shop space and inventory will help us reduce turnaround times and further expedite parts delivery,” said Alan Bowen, Global Compression’s vice president of operations. “This facility upgrade underscores Global Compression’s mission to support the natural gas industry through quality compressor parts, manufacturing and repair services in major U.S. shale plays.”
The new location’s increased space allows Global Compression to provide additional services, including small natural gas engine and compressor overhauls, as well as expanded screw compressor overhauls. The facility also has the capacity to hold more parts stock.
Getech, Stryde Launch New Exploration Service
Getech Group, a leading locator of subsurface energy and mineral resources and Stryde, an onshore nodal seismic imaging company, have announced the launch of a new targeting and exploration service designed to help energy and natural resource companies explore faster and more effectively—while realizing lower exploration risk and cost.
The new offering has been deployed on multiple projects in the Middle East for oil and gas and geothermal exploration. It features end-to-end subsurface screening and targeting capabilities, enabling companies to conduct early screening and identification of high value leads and prospects to optimize new seismic survey design and to reduce seismic acquisition costs.
Paradigm Drilling Services USA Launches in Houston
Paradigm Drilling Services has announced the opening of an expanded facility in Houston to support its continued growth. The facility will house Paradigm's growing workforce and asset base, enabling the deployment of drilling technologies for E&P operations.
Paradigm’s offerings include the Driver-Traction Drill Collar Tool. Its unique design and tool function improves WOB transfer by mitigating pipe buckling, which in turn reduces drilling dysfunction.
Expro’s iTong Deployed for First Time in Africa
Energy services provider Expro has deployed its autonomous iTong system for the first time in sub-Saharan Africa for Eni offshore Ivory Coast. It's also iTong’s first deepwater deployment following its initial operation in Norway in 2021.
Expro secured the tubular running services contract aboard the Deep Value Driller drillship. The project supports the expansion of the Baleine Field, the region’s largest hydrocarbon discovery, for Eni.
ITong automates the connection makeup and casing and tubing joints breakout, eliminating the need for personnel to work in the hazardous red zone of the rig floor.