Author: Rigs & Barge World

Bapco Energies, a Bahraini energy firm, declared force majeure on its group operations following a recent attack on its refinery complex, the company said in a statement, reported by Reuters. The company said it had activated contingency measures to manage the situation after the incident affected its facilities. Despite the disruption, the company said domestic market requirements remain fully secured and that supplies will continue without interruption, supported by contingency plans already in place. Force majeure declarations have spread across the Gulf energy sector amid the regional conflict. Kuwait’s state oil firm, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, and QatarEnergy recently announced force…

Of the Gulf states, Kuwait is one of the most exposed to the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure. It exported 2.4mn b/d of crude oil and refined products last year, all of which was shipped on tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. It is also reliant on LNG imports, and while most of its 6.87mn t/y imports came from nearby Qatar last year, 2.03mn t/y came from outside Hormuz. The distinction is now moot, as Qatar swiftly shut down its LNG facilities this week (see p20) due to the escalating conflict, leaving Kuwait reliant on stranded LNG tankers…

The Egyptian Linear Alkyl Benzene Company (ELAB) has posted a record production of 141,000 tons of linear alkyl benzene (LAB) in 2025, its highest level since the plant began operations in 2008, while maintaining top standards of safety, occupational health, and environmental protection, Chairman Ayman Elgarem said during the company’s general assembly. LAB is the company’s main product and serves as the primary raw material for the manufacture of industrial detergents, according to Elgarem, who added that the company is working to increase its production. The meeting reviewed the company’s fiscal year (FY) 2025 results and was attended by Karim…

Texas-based Apache has made no secret of its renewed focus on gas in Egypt, all located in the Western Desert, ever since signing improved terms with Cairo in 2024 that included a 60% gas price hike to $4.25/mn Btu (MEES, 10 January 2025). While this is music to the Egyptian government’s ears as it looks to plug a growing gas deficit, the gains have been incremental and inconsistent. On a year-on-year basis, gross gas output from Apache operated fields increased by 10% to 486mn cfd for 2025, but it remained below 2023’s 500mn cfd. Such has been the decline of…

Drilling results from the exploratory well Sirius‑1X, which is located in the North‑East Alameya block in the Mediterranean Sea and operated by Shell, show encouraging preliminary indications after reaching the target depth of 2,115 m. This improves the prospects for developing new gas resources in the Sirius exploration interval. Following these results, an early development decision could be reached in 2027. The Sirius-1X discovery is currently planned to begin production by 2029. This will serve as a subsequent phase to the development of the Mina West field. The well marks the first exploratory project executed by Shell in 2026. It…

Representatives of international companies investing in Egypt’s mining sector met a delegation from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources to discuss the developments and potential of the sector during a session titled “Spotlight on Egypt” at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC), held in Toronto from March 1–4. The session, organized in coordination with MineAfrica, a business development firm focusing on fostering mining investment and trade between Africa and North America, and the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, highlighted Egypt’s promising geological potential, particularly in the Arabian-Nubian Shield, which is known for its rich mineral resources. Yasser…

As Libya ramps up drilling activity in an attempt to boost crude oil output to 2mn b/d by the end of this year, NOC has announced the latest production increase at TotalEnergies’ Mabruk field on blocks 70 and 87 in the country’s Sirte Basin oil heartland. Under Mabruk Oil Operations, which also includes the Jurf offshore field, Total has a 37.5% operator’s stake and Norway’s Equinor has 12.5%, while Libya’s NOC has 50% (MEES, 31 March 2023). (CONTINUED – 295 WORDS) Read this article for free Gain access to over 60-years of energy analysis and news Delve into the details…

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said that it is modifying offshore production levels to manage storage constraints triggered by the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, while onshore production facilities remain fully operational. In a statement, the company said the measures are intended to maintain operational flexibility and allow a swift return to normal output once conditions stabilize. The war between the US, Israel and Iran has disrupted energy flows across the Gulf, with fighting entering its second week. The conflict has effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—a route that carries about 20% of…

QatarEnergy is offering ten of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers that are currently positioned outside the Strait of Hormuz, for lease, according to Reuters. This came as the company deals with a production halt at its 77 million tons per year (mmt/y) facility after the escalation of the U.S.–Israel war with Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi told the Financial Times that returning LNG deliveries to normal levels could take weeks to months, even if the conflict ended immediately. QatarEnergy also declared force majeure on LNG shipments earlier this week. The production shutdown…

War has erupted in the Middle East once again, after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. In response, Iran has launched waves of drone and missile attacks against its neighbors and succeeded in stranding large volumes of oil and gas exports inside the Gulf. Prices have shot up in response. In oil markets, Brent prices have climbed by around $10/B to the mid-$80s, but the real action has been in middle distillates, with jet kerosene prices more than doubling this week. Typically, when major geopolitical events impact supplies – and there is no doubt that this conflict is…