Activity News

NOAA-supported scientists announced that this year’s Gulf of America hypoxic zone is approximately 1,332 square miles, making it the 2nd smallest zone on record in 40 years of measurement. Hypoxic areas, also called “dead zones,” are areas with little to no oxygen in the water, which can negatively impact fish, shellfish, corals and aquatic plants by making critical habitat unavailable to bottom species. The annual hypoxic zone survey was led by scientists at Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON).

China-based offshore wind foundations manufacturer Dajin Heavy Industry has delivered KING TWO, the second 40,000 DWT heavy deck carrier in its self-developed and self-built KING series.The delivery represents a step in expanding the company's offshore vessel-building capabilities, marking the transition of the vessel class into standardized batch construction following the commercial deployment of KING ONE.KING TWO has an overall length of 239.8 meters, a beam of 51 meters, a 12…

ADNOC, in collaboration with SLB, has deployed its AI-enabled Real-Time Operations Center (RTOC) platform across its fleet of over 120 rigs, providing teams with a faster and more connected way to monitor, analyze and manage drilling operations across its onshore and offshore assets. The RTOC replaces multiple tools and reduces engineering effort by 30-40%, enabling engineers to support two to three times more rigs while maintaining effective oversight. Through automated dashboards and AI-powered performance insights…

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as a diplomatic resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict remained uncertain, while disruptions to oil flows through key shipping routes persisted.Front-month Brent futures LCOc1 rose $1.04, or 1.24%, to $84.81 a barrel by 0800 GMT after dropping 7% in the previous session to a three-week low.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 was up 30 cents, or 0.37%, at $80.64 a barrel after falling more than 5% in the previous session to its lowest in nearly a week.Prices had dropped after U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump accused ExxonMobil and Chevron on Monday of making "too much money" off higher fuel prices and said the oil giants should "give some of that back to the public," a notable break from his usual alliance with the industry."I don't like it," Trump told reporters on Monday, three days after the companies reported blowout second-quarter earnings as the ongoing war in Iran keeps oil prices high. “Chevron, too much money. ExxonMobil, too much. Too much money.”Exxon…

Saipem and Subsea7 have cleared a key U.S. regulatory hurdle for their planned merger after the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 expired, allowing the transaction to close in the United States once all remaining conditions are met.The companies said all applicable waiting periods under the U.S. antitrust law have expired, while noting that the proposed merger remains subject to certain regulatory approvals outside the United States.The merger was agreed under a binding agreement signed in July 2025…

Dutch lifting equipment specialist Huisman has secured a contract from CIMC Raffles Offshore to supply lifting and handling systems for a next-generation deepwater offshore installation vessel being built for a joint venture between Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.The contract covers an integrated equipment package comprising a 350-tonne A-frame, a 500-tonne knuckle boom crane, a 20-tonne auxiliary crane, and a 2,500-tonne basket for the storage of flexibles, fiber ropes and…

France has selected five ports to receive nearly $300 million (€260 million) in funding under the France 2030 investment program to support infrastructure upgrades for the country's floating offshore wind industry.The projects, located at the ports of Cherbourg, Brest, Nantes-Saint-Nazaire, Port-la-Nouvelle and Marseille-Fos, were chosen under a 2024 call for projects aimed at adapting French port infrastructure for the manufacture, assembly and integration of floating offshore…

DOF Group has secured long-term contract extensions with Petrobras for the Skandi Buzios and Skandi Recife pipelay support vessels (PLSVs), extending both contracts into January 2028.Following negotiations with Petrobras, Skandi Buzios was awarded a 516-day extension, while Skandi Recife secured a 550-day extension, DOF said.The contracts had previously been due to expire in the third quarter of 2026.Both vessels are owned by a joint venture between DOF and TechnipFMC, with each company holding a 50% interest.

DOF Group ASA has been awarded firm contracts with a duration of more than 1 year and expected commencement in Q1 of 2027 for two of its AHTS vessels. The expected value of each contract is Significant, which DOF defines as contracts with value between USD$15 and 25 million.

A drone caused the fire that engulfed two gas vessels at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, the Egyptian cabinet said on Thursday, confirming for the first time that the blaze which erupted a day earlier was the result of an attack rather than an accident.No party has claimed responsibility, and authorities were continuing their investigations and taking necessary measures to protect Egypt's national security, the cabinet added.British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday that a drone had hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at the port…

Oil prices rose for a second day on Thursday as renewed attacks between the United States and Iran disrupted oil flows through key shipping routes.Brent futures LCOc1 rose $1.06, or 1.17%, to $91.80 a barrel as of 0812 GMT after touching a low of $89.02 in the session.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 gained 39 cents, or 0.46%, to $84.85 a barrel after hitting a session low of $83.21.Geopolitical tensions continued to simmer after the U.S. military said it had hit dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran…

A QatarEnergy-controlled liquefied natural gas tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the first such vessel recorded by ship-tracking data leaving the waterway since July 11, data from analytics firms showed on Thursday.The Al Areesh, which loaded a cargo at Qatar's Ras Laffan terminal around July 4 to July 6, sailed on July 29 from the strait blockaded in the Iran war, data from Kpler and LSEG showed.LSEG data shows it is currently heading to Port Qasim in Pakistan, estimated to arrive on July 31.

Northern Lights joint venture has taken delivery of its fourth dedicated liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier, completing the vessel fleet required for the first phase of its carbon capture and storage (CCS) transport and storage operations.The Northern Purpose has arrived in Norway following delivery from Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Company (DSOC), joining sister vessels Northern Pioneer, Northern Pathfinder and Northern Phoenix to provide CO2 transport capacity for customers across Europe.Northern Lights said the vessel fleet forms the core of its transport solution…

Tehran has ruled out Oman's proposal for regional joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, scuppering hopes for a resolution to the impasse that has choked off Gulf trade for months.Oman proposed a new regional deal aimed at resolving the conflict over the critical strait, through which about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February.However, Tehran ruled out Oman's proposal for regional joint management of the strait, saying it had no chance of success.The U.S.

Seatrium has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore for its 30 MW Floating Data Centre (FDC) concept, marking a milestone in the development of offshore digital infrastructure designed to support growing demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.The concept features a jetty-moored, non-propelled barge incorporating six independent 5 MW Data-In-A-Box modules, each integrating IT equipment, cooling systems, power distribution and supporting infrastructure in a modular design.The company said the concept combines modular construction…

Dutch offshore contractor Allseas has completed one of the most extensive renewal and upgrade programs in the history of its pipelay vessel Solitaire, paving the way for the ship's return to commercial operations following 10 months of work in Rotterdam.The program modernized the vessel's propulsion, power generation, automation and hybrid power systems, while upgrading its double joint factory (DJF), a key component of Solitaire's pipelay operations for more than 25 years.The company said the upgraded DJF is designed to support a more automated and data-driven pipelay process…

Oil futures prices fell over 3% on Friday but are still set for hefty weekly gains because of concerns about disrupted energy flows in the Red Sea and fears of further escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.Brent futures LCOc1 fell nearly $4, or 3.96%, to $96.70 a barrel at 0946 GMT, having settled above $100 in the previous session for the first time since May after Iran-aligned Houthis said they struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.The contract remained on course for a 9.7% advance this week.West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures CLc1 were down $3.15 or 3.42% at $89.04 a barrel…

Saipem has confirmed the completion of a key offshore installation campaign for the Neptun Deep natural gas project in Romania, marking another milestone in the development of what is expected to become the European Union's largest offshore gas project.The campaign, carried out by the Saipem 7000 heavy-lift vessel, included the installation of the production platform's 7,500-tonne jacket and 9,000-tonne topside, as well as associated offshore works forming part of the company's engineering…

The Iranian-aligned Houthis said on Thursday they struck two Saudi oil tankers as part of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening to create a second chokepoint on global oil supplies alongside Iran's near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile the U.S. military completed a new round of strikes on Iran at President Donald Trump's direction, marking a 12th successive night of American attacks and prompting further Iranian retaliation.Iran said it attacked U.S. missile systems, weapons and fuel storages in Jordan, as well as U.S.

Two Chinese supertankers carrying a combined 4 million barrels of Saudi Arabian oil are exiting the Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Thursday, shipping data showed, even as a Saudi vessel came under attack in the region.The ships' attempt to transit the strait will clearly test how tightly the Houthis will impose the naval blockade on Saudi Arabia they announced on Monday. The group said they attacked two Saudi tankers with drones and missiles earlier on Thursday.The Red…

Asian and European buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) plan to ask for lower prices and additional supply guarantees from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as the U.S.-Iran war raises insurance costs on those deliveries, buyers, traders and industry executives told Reuters.The war is reshaping the global energy industry, stripping Gulf producers of their reputation as the world's most reliable suppliers, which in the past gave them significant negotiating power. Their ability…

DOF Group has agreed to sell four platform supply vessels (PSVs), acquire two construction support vessels (CSVs) under construction and declare a constructive total loss on the anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Skandi Amazonas, as the company continues to optimize and modernize its fleet.The company said it will sell the Skandi Mongstad, Skandi Flora, Skandi Feistein and Skandi Kvitsøy, with deliveries expected during the third quarter of 2026.The vessels will remain on their current contracts…