Three blocks awarded in Mexico’s Round One second tender

Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) awarded three of five shallow-water blocks in its Round One second tender, a more successful auction than the first in July that received just 2 bids on 14 blocks. All five blocks are part of the Southeast basin in the Gulf of Mexico. Source: News


Federal, state officials offering differing views of the ESA

The Endangered Species Act works best when state governments and local stakeholders are heavily involved, witnesses testifying before a US Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee agreed. But they strongly differed on whether the 1973 law itself is still effective, or needs to be reformed. Source: News


San Leon discovers gas onshore Morocco

San Leon Energy PLC, Dublin, found gas shows within a 23-m-thick reservoir section of sandstone and conglomerate with its Laayoune-4 well drilled on the Tarfaya conventional license of Morocco’s Sahara region. Source: News


Witnesses cite pipeline safety progress, and unfinished work

Significant progress has been made in making US oil and gas pipelines safer and reducing the number of accidental releases, government and industry witnesses agreed at a US Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation subcommittee hearing. But they also emphasized that more work needs to be done. Source: News


EPA institutes fenceline monitoring in update of refining regulations

The US Environmental Protection Agency required fenceline monitoring for the first time as it issued a final rule updating refinery emissions control requirements. Refiners will be required to install the monitors to measure benzene at the edges of their plant sites to better protect and inform nearby communities, EPA said. Source: News


Deepwater gulf well to start flow in 2017

Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas expects to start oil production in 2017 from its Horn Mountain Deep well, which will be tied back to the Horn Mountain truss spar in 5,500 ft of water offshore Louisiana. Source: News


Petrobras confirms extension of Carcara discovery

A third exploratory well drilled by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) in the Carcara area of the ultradeepwater Santos basin again confirmed the presence of good quality light oil of 31º gravity in presalt reservoirs. Source: News