ADES Teaming with Vantage Secures Second Deepwater Drilling Campaign in Egypt - ADES INTERNATIONAL HOLDING

London & Dubai, 11 October 2019

ADES International Holding PLC ("ADES" or the "Company"), a leading oil & gas drilling and production services provider in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), is pleased to announce that it has entered, through its subsidiary ADES S.A.E., into a second deepwater drilling campaign with a top tier international oil company, for deepwater drilling services in the Egyptian Mediterranean area. The service will be provided using Vantage's Tungsten Explorer and covers one firm well, "Nigma 1", with the contract estimated to last 73 days.

The services will be subcontracted to ADVantage, a JV between ADES and Vantage Drilling International, leveraging ADES's pre-qualification for operations in the Mediterranean basin. ADVantage utilises ADES's experienced local workforce and Vantage's Tungsten Explorer drillship while combining the companies' extensive deepwater drilling experience.

The contract will operate on a profit-sharing basis, enabling ADES to generate additional revenue without incurring the significant capital expenditures normally associated with deepwater drilling.

Egypt reduces natural gas production amid lower demand - ENTERPRISE

Thursday, 10 October 2019

The Oil Ministry has reduced Egypt’s natural gas production to 6 bcf/d, from 7 bcf/d after lower domestic and international demand resulted in surplus production, an unnamed ministry source told the local press. 

It is expected that the production will gradually rise back to 7.5 bcf/d in this fiscal year.

Turkey’s Mediterranean Gas Plans Draw Fresh Criticism in Egypt - BLOOMBERG

October 8, 2019, 6:02 PM GMT+3Tarek El-Tablawy

Egypt, Cyprus and Greece on Tuesday renewed their condemnation of Turkey’s plans for oil and gas drilling in the eastern Mediterranean, with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi saying the move threatens to “destabilize the region.”

The Egyptian leader, speaking at a joint news conference with his Cypriot counterpart and Greece’s prime minister, said such “unilateral” plans could escalate regional tensions.

Cyprus has said Turkey’s exploration plans in the south of the divided island are illegal and a violation of its sovereign rights. Cyprus has an agreement with Total SA and Eni SpA for oil and natural gas exploration rights in Block 7 -- the area where Turkey wants to drill.

The meeting of the three leaders was the latest in a broader push by their countries to boost energy ties in the eastern Mediterranean.

Production at Shell’s Rashid and Burullus fields rises to 290 mcf/d in September - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 9 October 2019

Royal Dutch Shell’s natural gas output from the Rashid and West Nile Delta Burullus fields increased to 290 mcf/d in September from 220 mcf/d the previous month, an EGAS source told the local press. 

The company recently linked 80 mcf/d from a newly-developed well to the natural gas grid, offsetting the field’s natural depreciation. 

Shell aims to raise production to 320 mcf/d by the end of the fiscal year, the source said.

United Oil & Gas’ acquisition of Rockhopper Egypt on track to close by 4Q2019 - ENTERPRISE

Tuesday, 8 October 2019

United Oil & Gas’ acquisition of Rockhopper Egypt “progressing well”: Rockhopper Exploration’s sale of its Egypt business to Irish energy company United Oil & Gas is on track to be completed by the end of 4Q2019, Rockhopper said in a statement yesterday. Rockhopper and United had signed a USD 16 mn share purchase agreement in July, which would see the Irish company acquire a non-operating 22% interest in the onshore Abu Sennan oil concession, among other assets. The agreement “will be satisfied” once United makes a cash payment of at least USD 11 mn. BP had previously agreed to provide USD 8 mn to partially fund the acquisition after it entered an offtake agreement for United’s future oil and gas production.