Chevron Corporation today announced a $22.8 billion capital and exploratory spending program for 2009, unchanged from the level of expenditures in 2008. Included in the 2009 program are $1.8 billion of expenditures by affiliates, which do not require cash outlays by Chevron’s consolidated companies.
GRL Opens ROV Pilot Support and Assessment Center
General Robotics Limited, the leading supplier of subsea simulation and visualisation software, has opened a ROV pilot support and assessment centre in Aberdeen, intended to help both individual pilots and ROV operators extend and evaluate piloting skills.
Creditors come knocking for Oilexco
TORONTO: Financially embattled Oilexco (TSX: OIL; LSE: OIL) has received demand letters from the Royal Bank of Scotland, on behalf of itself and other lenders, for immediate payment of amounts outstanding under the US$547.5 million senior and super senior credit facility of Oilexco North Sea Ltd. (ONSL) with the banks.
Why SCUBA sucks: Now you get to pay to be in SAT…
If money is not an object then there are some amazing experiences to be had…ice hotels, safari tents, a trip to space…but I bet spending the night undersea never came to mind.
Jules’ Undersea Lodge is a two-room mini-hotel located at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Originally built as an underwater research habitat, this pod under the sea is available to rent for the night.
AF Gruppen to decommission Shell's Indefatigable platforms
OSLO — AF Gruppen (AFG) signed a contract with Shell UK Ltd. regarding the decommissioning of six platforms from the Indefatigable gas field in the British sector of the North Sea.
AF Decom Offshore UK Ltd., which is a part of the AF Gruppen’s environmental business, will carry out the activities for the Inde decommissioning project. The value of the contract is expected to be approximately NOK 200 million (US$28.83 million).
Preparatory work on the three-year project will start this month. As part of the work, AF Decom Offshore is set to recycle around 13,000 tons of steel and equipment from the Inde structures.
A Decade Later, New Carissa Salvage Leaves Lasting Impressions
COOS BAY, Ore. — The wood chip freighter New Carissa ran aground off the coast of Oregon on Feb. 4, 1999, the start of what was heralded at the outset as a straightforward salvage job — and turned into a nearly decade-long shipwreck saga featuring explosions, lawsuits and cable cars.
Here is a look back at the journey Oregon took with the New Carissa.
SCUBA Dive Company to Face Charges
A WHITSUNDAY dive boat operator has been charged as a result of two divers going missing at sea in May last year.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has laid charges against AP Vessel Management Pty Ltd following the overnight stranding at sea of Richard Neely of the UK and Allyson Dalton of the USA.
The certified divers were missing overnight and rescued after a massive search activated by Queensland Water Police and involving ten aircraft and VMR and SES volunteers.
Meridian cutting jobs to cut costs
Houston — Houston-based independent Meridian Resources Corp. (NYSE: TMR) will be cutting jobs as part of its efforts to reduce the company’s general and administrative costs by around US$12 million. The company is also attempting to reduce its annual field lease operating costs by US$3.3 million.
The company will be reducing its work force, including managers, salaried and hourly workers, field personnel and contract employees. Meridian will also trim its portfolio of development and exploration prospects, reducing its working interest in high cost areas and “becoming more efficient” with drilling and lease operating expenditures.
Cyclone brews off west Australian oil region
PERTH — A tropical low has formed on the remote west Australian coast on Tuesday and may develop into the region’s fourth cyclone later in the week, the Bureau of Meteorology said, potentially threatening some offshore oil and gas fields.
A tropical low has formed about 400 km northeast of Broome at 3 p.m. local time and may turn into a cyclone later on Thursday as it moves west away from the coast, the bureau said.
Hart, Joly, and Wilson join S&J Diving, Inc.
S&J Diving Inc. has announced three additions to its staff.
Gerald Hart will be manager of business development. Hart has 30 years of worldwide work experience in the oil and gas industry, an education in electronics engineering technology and extensive knowledge in offshore operations. He is a member of the Society for Underwater Technology, the Marine Technology Society and the Hydrographic Society. He also is co-chairman of the Underwater Intervention Job Fair.
John Joly will assist with project coordination and business development. Joly has 30 years of experience in oilfield construction, where he served as diver, supervisor and superintendent prior to becoming a consultant for projects consisting of platform decommissioning, pipeline flushing, hydro-testing and abandonment, platform removal, subsequent scrapping and site clearance.
Chad W. Wilson joined the staff last October as a member of the project management support team. He will assume the position of development coordinator. Wilson’s work history includes four years in the Navy, marine engineering division, eight years of commercial diving and four years as company representative-inspector.
Visit S&J Diving at www.sjdiving.com.
www.gulfshipper.com