BOEM Proposes Regulation Revision to Support Mineral Exploration
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced proposed revisions to its regulations governing hard mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf aiming to advance exploration and development of critical minerals essential to national security, economic competitiveness and technological progress.These proposed updates align with Executive Orders 14285 and 14154, which prioritize unleashing America’s potential to explore and develop OCS critical mineral resources. The updates also support Executive Order 14192…
Tidewater to Acquire Wilson Sons Ultratug Offshore in $500M
All-Cash Deal, Expanding Brazil FootprintTidewater Inc. (NYSE: TDW) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações S.A. and its affiliate Atlantic Offshore Services S.A. (collectively, WSUT) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $500 million, including the assumption of existing debt.The acquisition significantly strengthens Tidewater’s position in the global offshore support vessel (OSV) market while marking a decisive expansion in…
AKOFS Offshore Inks New Vessel Deal with Petrobras
Norway-based subsea well intervention and installation services company AKOFS Offshore has signed a firm contract with Petrobras for its Aker Wayfarer vessel.AKOFS Offshore, majority owned by Akastor, said the 2010-built vessel will continue to perform services as a Subsea Equipment Support Vessel (SESV) for Petrobras in Brazil.The contract, valued at $330 million, has a duration of four years, with operations expected to begin in September 2027, following the expiry of the current…
Jan De Nul’s Fleeming Jenkin CLV to Get Dedicated Training Simulator
Tree C, a Dutch virtual and augmented reality specialist for the offshore and remote handling industry, has announced it will develop a training simulator for Fleeming Jenkin, described as the world’s largest cable laying vessel (CLV), owned by Jan De Nul.The simulator is intended to allow inexperienced crew members to become familiar with onboard equipment, practice procedures and operate systems before deployment offshore.It will feature an integrated control system designed to replicate the vessel’s onboard experience…
Transocean-Valaris Tie-Up to Create $17B Offshore Drilling Major with 73 Rigs
Offshore drilling contractor Transocean has agreed to acquire Valaris in an all-stock transaction valued at about $5.8 billion, creating one of the world’s largest offshore drilling contractors with a fleet of 73 drilling rigs.The combined company will have an enterprise value of roughly $17 billion, with Transocean shareholders expected to own about 53% of the merged entity and Valaris shareholders the remaining 47% on a fully diluted basis.The transaction will combine fleets to form a portfolio of 73 offshore rigs…
Kongsberg Maritime to Equip Hana Shipping’s Floating Wind Construction Vessel
Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract to deliver a comprehensive deck machinery package for a new-generation 127-metre Floating Wind Construction Vessel (FWCV) being built for Hana Shipping of Korea.Scheduled for delivery in July 2027, the FWCV represents one of the most advanced vessels ever designed for floating offshore wind operations and marks the first large FWCV order globally in recent years.The vessel, designed by Focal, will operate at the Ulsan Floating Wind Farm Construction, located 70 km off the coast of Ulsan, Korea.
Europeans Commit to Wind Energy Expansion Despite Trump Criticism
European governments including Germany, Britain and Denmark will reinforce their plans to massively expand wind power projects on Monday, despite U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up criticism of their green energy agenda, a draft declaration due to be signed by government leaders showed.Trump has been openly critical of European countries' efforts to shift to low-carbon energy.
ADNOC Gas Signs $3B LNG Supply Deal with India’s HPCL
ADNOC Gas has signed a long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement worth between $2.5 billion and $3 billion with India’s Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).The 10-year sales and purchase agreement covers the supply of 0.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG and converts a previously signed heads of agreement into a binding contract.India is now the UAE’s largest LNG customer, and by 2029 around 20% of LNG operated by ADNOC Gas is expected to be supplied to Indian buyers.
Saipem Launches Drilling Training Center with Full-Scale Simulator
Saipem has launched a new Drilling Training Centre featuring a full-scale simulator designed to provide immersive, hands-on training for drilling personnel.The center is accredited by the International Well Control Forum, a global body for well control competency certification, enabling it to deliver internationally recognized training and certification for personnel working on drilling rigs.At the core of the facility is a full-scale simulator that reproduces real operational drilling scenarios, combining theoretical instruction with practical training.
DEME Takes Delivery of Norse Energi Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
Belgium-based offshore installation services company DEME has taken delivery of its second new wind turbine installation vessel, Norse Energi, at the CIMC Raffles Shipyard.As the sister vessel of the recently delivered Norse Wind, Norse Energi is purpose‑built to install the next generation of large-scale offshore wind turbines.Featuring advanced technology, exceptional lifting and loading capabilities, and sustainable design features, both vessels will help reinforce DEME’s position at the forefront of offshore wind installation.Designed by GustoMSC and built by CIMC Raffles…
Eni Launches Hull for Coral North FLNG Offshore Mozambique
Eni and its partners have launched the hull of the Coral North floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel, marking a key milestone in the development of Mozambique’s offshore gas resources.Coral North will be the second floating LNG facility deployed in the Rovuma Basin offshore Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique and will produce gas from the northern part of the Coral reservoir.The project builds on experience gained from Coral South, which began production in 2022.Eni Greenlights Mozambique’s Coral North FLNG ProjectDesigned to improve efficiency and optimize performance…
Thailand's Gulf Energy Eyes Long-Term LNG Supply
Thailand's Gulf Energy has issued a tender seeking four to six cargoes a year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) over a 10-year period, said two industry sources on Tuesday.It is seeking the cargoes for delivery from 2028, in a tender that closes on January 19.(Reuters - Reporting by Emily Chow; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Delfin LNG Project Moves Closer to FID as SHI Gets Extension
Delfin Midstream has extended a letter of award with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and placed orders for critical liquefaction equipment, as the company moves toward a final investment decision on the first floating LNG vessel for its Delfin LNG project.The U.S.-based developer said the extension of the letter of award with SHI follows early engagement work carried out in recent weeks and comes as the remaining workstreams required to reach FID are nearing completion. Delfin expects to take a final investment decision during February 2026.Separately…
Petrovietnam Agrees First-Ever LNG Term Deal with Shell
State-owned Petrovietnam Gas has awarded its first-ever term supply tender seeking liquefied natural gas (LNG) to energy major Shell, which will deliver the super-chilled fuel to Vietnam from 2027 to 2031.The five-year supply deal will see Shell deliver about 400,000 metric tons a year of LNG to the Southeast Asian nation, according to a Petrovietnam Gas statement issued late on Tuesday.The LNG will be supplied on a delivered ex-ship (DES) basis to Petrovietnam Gas' Thi Vai terminal.Vietnam began importing LNG in 2023, with its first cargo delivered to its inaugural Thi Vai import terminal.
CIMC Picks TMC’s Compressors for Golar LNG’s MK II FLNG Unit
CIMC Raffles has awarded a contract to TMC Compressors to deliver a complete marine compressed air system for the MK II floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, currently under construction for Golar LNG.TMC’s scope includes instrument air compressors, utility compressors, nitrogen feed air compressors, and air driers. The company did not disclose the value of the contract.The MK II FLNG project involves converting Golar’s LNG tanker, Fuji LNG, into a floating liquefaction facility.
Offshore Rig Outlook: As 2025 Challenges Fade, Path Ahead Brightens
While challenges linger from the 2025 offshore rig market, there are signs it will look brighter from late 2026 onwards.Main Events of 2025One of the biggest talking points of 2024 and 2025 was Saudi Aramco’s suspension of 36 jackups from April 2024, but by 3Q 2025 21 units had been re-deployed into other regions of the world. Fast forward to today, the national oil company (NOC) has confirmed it will restart work with eight of the remaining suspended rigs in early 2026. It has…
Low Demand, High Supply Keeps Asia LNG Spot Prices Flat
Asian spot liquefied natural gas prices started the year steady, as muted regional demand and ample supply kept the market flat following a 34% slump in 2025.The average LNG price for February delivery into Northeast Asia LNG-AS was estimated at $9.60 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), unchanged from the previous week, industry sources said."Market conditions remain relatively calm and are largely dominated by bearish sentiment," said Siamak Adibi, director for gas and LNG supply analytics at consultancy FGE…
"The Year of Glut": 2026 Energy Trends to Track
Energy markets enter 2026 in a downbeat mood as geopolitical uncertainty clouds the outlook and increasing signs of swelling oil and gas supplies threaten to sink prices.This past year was a wild one for the oil and gas industry, punctuated by the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June, U.S. President Donald Trump's trade wars, the intensified targeting of energy infrastructure in Russiain its war against Ukraine, OPEC’s often perplexing production decisions and the recently threatened U.S. blockade of Venezuela.So what’s in store for next year?
DOF Inks $150M ROV Support Vessel Contract with Petrobras
Norwegian offshore vessel owner DOF Group has secured a new four-year contract with Petrobras for the remotely operated support vessel (RSV) Skandi Commander.The contract was awarded following the same competitive tender process that led to six previous four-year RSV contracts announced earlier.The Skandi Commander will be equipped with both a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) and an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), the latter being a unique feature of this agreement.The contract…
DOF Bags Two Deals in Asia-Pacific Region
Norwegian offshore vessel owner and subsea services provider DOF Group has secured two contracts for its vessels and services in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.DOF signed a three-year frame agreement for the provision of subsea inspection, maintenance and repair services with associated assets in the APAC region.A call off under the contract has also been confirmed and will utilize DSV Skandi Singapore and all related diver-less subsea services on a brownfield tieback campaign…
2025: Fascinated with Subsea Discovery
Our fascination with the depths of the ocean revealed itself in some of our most-read stories of 2025.What’s really down there? asked New Wave Media President Greg Trauthwein in his interview with Matt Grove, Regional Segment Manager Offshore at Seequent in September, in the most watched Offshore Engineer TV show.Working underneath the world’s waters is a challenge in and of itself, a challenge exacerbated if an operator does not have a clear picture of the make-up of the seabed with insights on the potential traps that might await.
DOF Bags Multiple Vessel Deals with Petrobras in Brazil
Norwegian offshore supply vessel owner DOF Group has secured seven new contract extensions with Petrobras for its offshore support vessels (OSVs) in Brazil, valued over $160 million.Five of DOF's Brazilian-flagged anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels, all with ROVs on board, including Skandi Fluminense, Skandi Paraty, Skandi Angra, Skandi Urca and Skandi Iguaçu, have had their current contracts with Petrobras extended until the first quarter of 2027.The new four-year contracts…
Dong Fang Offshore Picks Westcon for New CLV Delivery
Dong Fang Offshore (DFO), one of Asia’s largest offshore wind service providers, has signed a major shipbuilding contract with Norwegian yard Westcon for a new subsea and cable lay vessel (CLV), set for delivery in 2027.Westcon will take over and complete construction of a large cable lay vessel already under build.DFO said the order supports its recent growth and replaces installation capacity lost in Taiwan after DeepOcean exercised an option to keep the Orient Adventurer working in Europe until 2028…