Large Diameter Drilling (LDD) announced the launch of LM Handling, a new business unit which has been established as a joint venture co-operation between Acteon companies LDD and MENCK. LM Handling offers global coverage in the field of offshore lifting and handling equipment and services on a sales and rental basis; will operate out of existing LDD and MENCK bases; and will use the new Acteon operations base in Singapore scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2013.

Already equipped with a portfolio of standard lifting and handling products for rental and sale, including the industry-leading Pile Guide Frame (“StabFrame”), operations will also focus on providing turnkey solutions to customers’ lifting and handling offshore challenges. LM Handling will pursue a collaborative approach with current and potential customers.

“Our aim is to identify customer needs, gain the clearest possible understanding of the challenges they face and find opportunities to improve their operations,” said LM Handling general manager Robin van der Bij. “This closer collaboration between MENCK and LDD will bring together specialist engineers, project managers and equipment for critical tasks such as jacket and monopile installation along with the myriad of subsea and offshore construction work.”

“This move will build on the synergies between Acteon companies and enhance the group’s subsea service offering to its customers,” said Acteon Group Ltd. vice president Paul Alcock. “The venture combines LDD’s rapid and tailor-made approach to offshore solutions with MENCK’s outstanding expertise and track record in piling operations. The new business unit will have the full support of the sales and engineering teams at both LDD and MENCK.”

CGG announces that Robertson, a CGG company specializing in geology, geophysics and reservoir engineering, has completed the first phase of its MERLIN⁺ source and reservoir facies prediction project initiated in April 2012. Global subscribers can now gain a genuine commercial advantage from the project’s deliverables which are designed to improve exploration success in underexplored and frontier basins.

MERLIN⁺ provides a unique and proven means of reducing exploration risk by combining industry-leading plate tectonic reconstructions (Plate Wizard^TM), global databases and detailed palaeogeographic mapping with Earth systems modeling to predict key elements of the petroleum system.

MERLIN⁺ builds on the data and methodologies brought together by Robertson within the original MERLIN project launched in 2007 that have enabled the prediction of source facies globally. Comparison of predictions to known source rock data shows greater than 80% accuracy, giving confidence to the prediction of source facies for both conventional and unconventional plays.

MERLIN⁺ will be completed in a number of phases over an initial four-year period and global subscribers are invited to guide and participate in its continued improvements. MERLIN⁺ incorporates the results of the Earth systems modeling into an innovative predictive methodology to deliver valuable source facies and clastic sediment flux predictions.

Sophie Zurquiyah, Senior Executive Vice President, Geology, Geophysics & Reservoir, CGG, said:  “As it becomes increasingly difficult to identify viable new exploration opportunities, innovative solutions such as MERLIN⁺ are essential to maintain a competitive edge. The addition of its unique predictive capabilities to Robertson’s broad portfolio of global and regional multi-client geological products opens the door to addressing the key challenges of frontier exploration and, combined with CGG’s other products and services, helps to position us as the partner of choice for delivering the key geoscience solutions required by the industry today.”

Gibdock has completed a refit of the seismic vessel WG Cook(photo) for WesternGeco, reflecting the yard’s growing ability to attract return customers in the specialised offshore vessel market.

WG Cook is one of six 12-streamer 3D seismic ships delivered to the owner in 2010. The 19-day project was completed on time and with no serious QHSE incidents in preparation for WG Cook’s deployment offshore Canada for a seismic survey.

“The project was awarded on a competitive tender basis, while the location of the yard is also favourable for this project,” says Mick Richardson, WesternGeco Fleet Technical Manager. “However, our return to Gibdock also reflects our preference for teamwork based on forward planning and our requirement for a strong commitment to QHSE. We were also pleased with Gibdock’s preparation and pre-fabrication work.”

Richard Beards, Gibdock Managing Director, says that the WG Cook project falls firmly in line with Gibdock’s strategy to work in long-term relationships with ‘best in class’ clients. “As well as delivering high quality work on a high-value vessel, this kind of project relies on transparency at the planning stage. This means final costs match estimates provided.”

Mr Beards says the close coordination between Gibdock’s commercial and production departments proved pivotal to the project’s successful execution, citing the key roles played in the Gibdock team by Estimator Carlos Anastacio and WG Cook Project Manager Filip Tsankov.

Gibdock allocated its largest drydock to the project, allowing a variety of yard equipment to be deployed simultaneously. The dock’s heavy lifting capability was also a factor, with one of its three cranes being occupied continuously by a 5m exhaust extension and main mast modifications. Docking repairs also included the replacement of the ship’s thruster z-drives, box cooler removal, sea chest modification, hull blasting and painting.

Particularly demanding was upgrade and modification of WG Cook’s hydraulic pipes on two decks, and modification of hydraulic lines after equipment relocation. The WG Cook project included work on hydraulics, so skills available in this trade were a particular focus, with close co-ordination between the ship's owner, the yard and the yard’s subcontractors.

“Around 300 personnel from the yard and the owner were onboard the vessel during the project’s peak period,” says Mr Beards. “Co-ordinating work so that completing one job did not interfere with another was a critical factor in redelivering WG Cook on schedule and with no serious QHSE incidents.”

A custom-built service center at the new Offshore Marine Centre in the Tuas industrial area of Singapore will boost Acteon operations and improve its customer service in South East Asia.

Due to open in July 2013, the new $11 million, 10,000-m² Acteon Singapore Operations Center will support the offshore operations of Acteon companies across the region. It will be the first purpose-built Acteon center to service multiple operating companies. The base will provide engineering, design, equipment maintenance and servicing, equipment rental and sales activities for CAPE, MENCK, Conductor Installation Services (CIS), LM Handling, Aquatic Engineering & Construction Ltd. and Claxton Engineering Services.

“South East Asia is an expanding market for all Acteon businesses and offers numerous opportunities in subsea services. We have now reached the point where we need to provide the right local infrastructure and workforce to serve our customers in the region.” said Acteon Group Ltd. executive vice president Paul Alcock. “As bulkhead port access is at a premium in Singapore, the new facility will provide Acteon companies with easy and unrestricted port mobilization and demobilization options for heavy equipment, which will be supported by our on-site 128-te workshop crane capacity.”

“Operating a world-class service center from the Offshore Marine Center will strengthen our presence in Asia and underline our long-term commitment to the region. Customers should benefit from quicker responses on equipment supply and turnaround, and should gain clearer understanding of the operations and capabilities of the Acteon companies on site,” said Alcock.

“We are delighted that Acteon has chosen to establish its regional service center at the Offshore Marine Center to serve its customers in Asia better. The Offshore Marine Center, with its common waterfront area, is a strong testament to the collaboration between the government and industry to develop innovative solutions that optimize the use of resources,” said Lim Kok Kiang, executive director, transport engineering, Singapore Economic Development Board.

Inter-American Dialogue’s Latin America Energy Advisor

Mexican state oil company Pemex has filed a lawsuit in New York seeking to recover nearly $160 million from Germany's Siemens and South Korea's SK Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. in a global bribery case, a law firm representing Pemex said Wednesday.

Attorneys at Miami-based Diaz Reus filed an amended lawsuit in a U.S. District Court last week claiming Siemens and SKEC submitted an "unrealistically low bid" in 1996 to win a public contract for modernizing a Pemex refinery in Cadereyta, Mexico. Michael Diaz, Jr., the firm's global managing partner, alleged Siemens and SKEC then paid bribes to several officials at Pemex in exchange for processing fraudulent "cost overrun" invoices. Those invoices were apparently intended to fill the shortfall from the original underbid, according to Diaz.

In 2008, Siemens pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and agreed to pay a $1.6 billion penalty to U.S. and European authorities to settle charges that it routinely used bribes and slush funds to secure massive public works contracts around the world, including refinery modernization projects in Mexico.

César Nava, the former chairman of Mexico's conservative National Action Party and Pemex's legal director at the time of the alleged fraud is named in the suit, EFE reported this week citing a report in Mexico's Reforma newspaper. Nava allegedly intervened to stop the company from collecting $102.8 million from Siemens and SKEC to compensate for contract violations in the overhaul of the Cadereyta refinery, the report states.

Gulfstream Services Inc (GSI), provider of cutting edge equipment to the international oil and gas industry, has successfully completed two six figure decommissioning contracts with major oil and gas service companies, Helix Well Ops UK and Dof Subsea.

The Helix contract was part of the BP North West Hutton decommissioning project where GSI tools were used to remove 10” and 20” pipelines from the seabed. GSI’s Hydraulic Shear was an effective engineering solution in the situation due to the quick boat to boat times.

Photo: Martin Blake, operator/workshop technician, GSI,  working on GSI product

GSI equipment was used by Dof Subsea for the cutting and recovering of items on a North Sea platform including a 6” pipeline, concrete mattresses, clump weights and various small steel structures. After the assignment it was reported that the performance of GSI equipment and personnel were above expectations and caused no downtime.

Both projects were carried out in the North Sea over a three and two week period respectively.

Caroline Grant, operations manager GSI, said: “It has been a busy few months for GSI. We are delighted to be involved in such high profile projects with Helix and Dof Subsea. The efficient delivery of the projects are a testament to the effectiveness and quality of our products and staff. This is further proof that we are at the forefront of the decommissioning market.

“Since we established the GSI hydraulic shear division in 2006 we have performed over 8000 cuts in worldwide locations using our specialised decommissioning equipment. Looking ahead, we will continue to endeavour to provide first class service to all our customers.”

GSI was established in the US in 1978 and now has four bases across the states. Gulfstream Services UK was set up in January 2010 in Aberdeen to serve the international oil and gas industry and growing demand from customers in UK, Norway, Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Around 6300 subsurface cuts have been carried out and 2000 land based cuts. The deepest cut completed by the firm was 3019ft, for major oil and gas projects in the Gulf of Mexico.

GSI aims to provide innovative and cost efficient solutions to industry challenges and all of its products have evolved in line with customer requirements.

Currently the GSI global hydraulic tooling fleet consists of 26 workable shears and grapples, which are used for numerous applications within the oil and gas industry including platform and pipeline removal, slot recovery, chain cutting, wire rope cutting, salvage work and well blow out intervention.

GSI recently increased its staff numbers in response to business growth – the company currently has 12 members of staff and plans to expand this by a further three in the coming months.

Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE: OII) has announced that it has secured a contract from Saipem to supply umbilicals for the Burullus West Delta Deep Marine Phase IXa development located offshore Egypt.

The order consists of ten subsea production control umbilicals totaling approximately 84 kilometers (52.2 miles) in length and two electrical power cables totaling approximately 55 kilometers (34.2 miles) in length.  Product manufacturing is planned to be performed at Oceaneering's facility in Rosyth, Scotland and is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2013 and be completed in the third quarter 2014.

After record breaking 2013 conference with 104,800 attendees, the Offshore Technology Conference Board of Directors has elected a new Chairman and Vice Chairman for 2014-2015. Edward (Ed) G. Stokes takes on the role of OTC Chairman and Dr. Joe R. Fowler will assume the Vice Chairman role.

Stokes has been a part of the OTC since 1995 and on the Board of Directors since 2008, representing the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.  He has served as Vice Chairman since 2012 and as Program Committee Chairman in 2002.

In his career, Stokes has amassed a broad range of supervisory and managerial experience in his long career in the upstream and marine segments of the oil and gas industry. He currently serves as Project Coordination Manager – Offshore at ConocoPhillips. In his current role, he is responsible for the day-to-day management of the offshore portion of the marine segment of the Brass LNG project, a joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Total, and Eni International.

Prior to this, Stokes was the Manager of Business Development at ConocoPhillips Shipping where he was responsible for business development activities within the shipping company. He also provided marine project development support to worldwide business units.

He has an AS in engineering science from Eastern Oklahoma State College, BS in civil engineering from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from Houston Baptist University. He holds a Professional Engineer (PE) registration in Texas and is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Stokes has 15 technical publications, presented papers in 5 countries, and holds patents related to oilfield production and LNG ship design. He is a native of Okemah, Oklahoma.

Dr. Fowler is President and co-founder of Stress Engineering Services, Inc., (SES) a 375-person engineering consulting firm based in Houston with additional offices in Cincinnati, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Calgary.  SES is a world leader in floating systems design, fitness-for-service evaluations, consumer-product mechanical design, measurement and control systems, and third-party testing of full-scale systems and equipment.

Dr. Fowler received his BS with honors, MS, and PhD degrees in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas. He is a Fellow of ASME, and in 2000 he received the Outstanding Alumni Honor Award from the Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Wireless communications in the subsea environment continue to deliver value to the oil and gas industry. The Subsea Wireless Group (SWiG) is an international industry initiative established to promote interoperability for subsea wireless communications within the areas of radio frequency, acoustic and free space optic technologies.  The group was initiated as a result of the growing interest and application of these solutions within the sector.

The group was established in May 2011 at OTC and continues its mission to raise industry awareness and acceptance of through water communications as viable solutions for the industry.

“Our membership has grown rapidly over the past 24 months and we now have 18 companies participating within the group,” stated Jessica Rouse who manages the network on behalf of OTM Consulting.  “Our members include ABS, BP, Cameron, Chevron, EvoLogics, GE, HIMA, JPL, MCS Kenny, Nautronix, OCTIO, Saab Seaeye, Statoil, Subsea 7, Technip, Teledyne Marine Systems, WFS Technologies  and  Yokogawa.    The  group  is  continuing  to  grow  as  more  companies  start  to understand the benefits that wireless can provide.  We are keen to hear from companies with an interest in this field and would welcome their participation at one of our upcoming meetings”.

Since 2011, SWiG has been working on defining and understanding current subsea technology needs where wireless technologies can provide a solution.  This work has fed into the 2 member established Working Groups that focus on the technical capabilities of these technologies as well as developing recommended practises for the industry.

The Technology Capabilities Working Group is specifically evaluating the capabilities, performance, Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), and target applications of wireless.  The group is producing an archive of case studies to demonstrate how wireless is already being used within the industry and this will be made available to all members.

The Standards Working Group is focused on developing a recommended practice for radio frequency communications which will later be used as a template for acoustic, optical and hybrid systems. The focus of the Standards Working Group is to build on existing open standards with the objective to develop new standards that support full interoperability between hardwired and wireless systems subsea.

Okeanus Science and Technology, LLC (Okeanus) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jacob Marcell as President as of 1 May 2013.  Based out of Houma, Louisiana, Okeanus is an international provider of oceanographic and marine scientific research equipment.  Mr. Marcell was appointed president due to his extensive experience and long track record in the U.S. subsea industry.  Prior to joining Okeanus, Marcell was president of Mako Technologies, and he has extensive senior experience, including ROV services and tooling and topside and subsea rental equipment and services.

Okeanus was recently established to cater to the Science and Technology rental and integration of equipment market.  Okeanus provides the latest technology as well as tried-and-true industry standards to all the regions of the globe to support and accomplish clients' goals.

In response to the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma this week, BP is donating $500,000 and emergency supplies to the Oklahoma Red Cross to support humanitarian assistance and recovery efforts.

BP America Inc. will donate $300,000 and the BP Foundation will donate an additional $200,000. The $500,000 will assist local Red Cross efforts to provide emergency meals, shelter, clothing, water and medical care in the affected areas. The $500,000 donation is in addition to donations made by the BP Foundation Employee Matching Program.

BP employees in eastern Oklahoma also today delivered a trailer of non-perishable relief items to a collection center near Moore for use by the Red Cross. BP employs about 600 staff and contractors engaged in natural gas and pipeline operations in Oklahoma.

Research is Part of a Long-Standing, Interagency Collaboration

Scientists have returned from a 15‑day research expedition in the northern Gulf of Mexico with the best high-resolution seismic data and imagery ever obtained of sediments with high gas hydrate saturations.

Map: The USGS Gas Hydrates Project integrates across USGS mission areas, programs, and regions. The stars indicate the locations of personnel involved in the Gas Hydrates Project. Within the US, much of the research focuses on the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, which represent marine and permafrost-associated settings for gas hydrates, respectively.

The expedition and the data and imagery collected resulted from long-standing cooperation between the U.S. Department of the Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This collaboration aims to advance scientific understanding of gas hydrates, an important potential future energy resource.

Gas hydrates are ice-like substances formed when certain gases combine with water at specific pressures and temperatures. Deposits of gas hydrates are widespread in marine sediments beneath the ocean floor and in sediments within and beneath permafrost areas, where pressure-temperature conditions keep the gas trapped in the hydrate structure. Methane is the gas most often trapped in these deposits, making gas hydrates a potentially significant source for natural gas around the world.

“This expedition represents a significant milestone,” said USGS Energy Resources Program Coordinator Brenda Pierce. “The data and imagery provide insight into the entire petroleum system at each location, including the source of gas, the migration pathways for the gas, the distribution of hydrate-bearing sediments, and the traps that hold the hydrate and free gas in place. The USGS has a globally recognized research effort studying gas hydrates in settings around the world, and this project combines our unique expertise with that of other agencies to advance research on this potential future energy resource.”

The recently completed expedition was planned jointly by USGS, DOE, and BOEM, and was executed by USGS.  Using low-energy seismic sources, USGS scientists collected details about the nature of the gas hydrate reservoirs and about geologic features of the sediment between the reservoirs and the seafloor. The new data also provide information about how much gas hydrate exists in a much broader area than can be determined from using standard industry seismic data, which is typically designed to image much deeper geologic units.

“Understanding the nature and setting of deepwater gas hydrates is central to the National Methane Hydrates R&D Program, which is led by DOE and managed by Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory,” said Christopher Smith, DOE’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. “Over the past 8 years, research carried out under this program has resulted in significant advances in our understanding of methane hydrates, their role in nature, and their potential as a future energy resource. This success is largely due to an unprecedented level of cooperation among federal agencies, industry, national laboratories, and academic institutions.”

“The high-resolution nature of the data acquired through this interagency project will uniquely inform the BOEM effort to assess the resource potential of gas hydrates on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf,” said Renee Orr, Chief, Strategic Resources Office, BOEM.

The data were collected at two locations in the Gulf of Mexico where the three federal agencies partnered with an industry consortium to conduct a drilling expedition in 2009. That expedition discovered gas hydrate filling between 50 and 90 percent of the available pore space between sediment grains in sandy layers in the subsurface. These reservoirs are expected to be representative of the 6,700 trillion cubic feet of gas that BOEM estimates is housed in gas hydrates in sand-rich reservoirs in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

The new data are being used to refine estimates of the nature, distribution, and concentration of gas hydrate in the vicinity of the 2009 drill sites. This will help assess how useful specialized seismic data may be to estimating hydrate saturations in deepwater sediments.

In coming years, the three agencies will continue their collaborative investigation of gas hydrates in the northern Gulf of Mexico and other locations across the world.

Learn more about USGS research on gas hydrates and energy at locations around the world.

Swathe Services has just purchased the newly launched Sonic 2020 multi-beam and ultra high resolution upgrade for the Sonic 2024 to add to its already expanding rental pool.

The image above shows raw data collected by the Sonic 2024 UHR system of the Margaret Smith shipwreck in Southampton

The Sonic 2020 is the most compact high performance wideband shallow water multi-beam echo sounder providing over 20x selectable operating frequencies to choose from within the 200 to 400 kHz band. In addition to selectable operating frequencies, the Sonic 2020 provides variable swath coverage selections from 10° to 130° as well as ability to rotate the swath port or starboard in real-time. The Sonic 2020 frequency agility, productive swath coverage and narrow focused 2° beam widths provide hydrographic professionals with quality data output for shallow water survey operations.

The Sonic 2024 can be upgraded to provide extremely narrow beam widths (0.3° x 0.6°) at 700kHz operation making this option invaluable for detailed offshore site surveys such as pipeline inspections, cable laying operations or other micro bathymetry applications. The raw data acquired from this option over the Margaret River Wreck in Southampton can be seen in the above picture.

With these recent purchases Swathe Services rental pool now includes a large number of R2SONIC multi-beam echo sounders including ultra high resolution and 3000m depth rated options, as well as an iXBlue HYDRINS and iXBlue ROVINS.

Aker Solutions has laid the foundation stone of a new plant in Paraná that will double the company's subsea production capacity in Brazil.

The plant in the city of São José dos Pinhais in the Paraná state in Brazil will be operational in 2015. It will replace Aker Solutions' current subsea manufacturing facility in Curitiba and double production capacity in the country.

Aker Solutions' Executive Chairman Øyvind Eriksen and Luis Araujo, president and country manager of the company's Brazilian operations,  took part in a ceremony laying the foundation stone at the new site.

Luis Carlos Setim, the mayor of São José dos Pinhais, attended together with other local government officials.

"Brazil is a very important market for Aker Solutions and this new plant will strengthen our subsea offering," says Araujo.

The new facility will have about 1,200 employees and generate work for an additional 5,000 people at suppliers. The plant will be built on a plot of land totaling 168,220 square meters.

Petrobras contract

Aker Solutions is expanding its manufacturing capacity after winning a contract in April to deliver subsea equipment to the Brazilian oil company Petrobras. The contract, worth NOK 4.6 billion (USD 800 million), is for 60 well-sets with vertical subsea trees, subsea control systems, tools and spares to be used at Petrobras' deepwater pre-salt field developments in Brazil.

"The forecasts for the Brazilian oil and gas industry are very promising and we are committed to developing our manufacturing capabilities and local content," says Araujo.

Macaé development

Aker Solutions last year started building a new multi-purpose service site for its drilling equipment business in Macaé, 180 kilometers northeast of Rio de Janeiro. The facility, set to open in 2014, will expand the company's capacity to serve the fast-growing drilling market in Brazil. Aker Solutions is also located in Rio de Janeiro and Rio das Ostras in Brazil.

Aker Solutions, established in Brazil since 1978, currently employs 1,400 people in the country. The company is a leading provider of subsea equipment and services in Brazil's offshore pre-salt market. It also delivers downstream and topside process technology, offshore mooring and loading systems, deepwater drilling systems and subsea intervention services.

Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL) has announced that the company will donate $500,000 to support disaster-relief and recovery efforts for the communities affected by the devastating tornadoes that recently swept through central Oklahoma. The contribution includes a $500,000 cash donation to the American Red Cross Oklahoma Relief Fund and a commitment to match employee donations up to $1,000 per employee.

"From our founder's humble beginnings and the company's inception in Ardmore to the employees that live and work in the area, Oklahoma is a part of the fabric of Noble Energy," said Charles Davidson , chairman and CEO of Noble Energy. "We will stand with the communities of Oklahoma to help them recover from the damage and devastation caused by the tornadoes."

BP and partners Total, Petrobras and Petrogal were named winning bidders for eight deepwater blocks offshore Brazil in the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency’s (ANP’s) 11th bid round. BP will be operator in two of the blocks.

The companies have committed to explore concession blocks FZA-M-57, FZA-M-59, FZA-M-86, FZA-M-88, FZA-M-125, and FAZ-M-127 in the Foz do Amazonas basin, BAR-M-346 in the Barreirinhas basin, and POT-M-764 in the Potiguar basin, for oil and gas resources, with the right to develop any commercial discoveries under the Brazilian concession regime.

BP will be operator with a 70% stake in block FZA-M-59, and in block BAR-M-346, with a 50% stake.

“BP is delighted with this result. It will increase our frontier exploration exposure along Brazil’s equatorial margin and plays to our strengths in deepwater. We look forward to a successful exploration programme working with our partners Total, Petrobras and Petrogal,” said Mike Daly, BP’s Executive Vice President of Exploration.

Today’s winning bids follow BP’s re-entry into the Brazilian upstream in 2011 with the purchase of interests in 10 blocks from Devon Energy and the subsequent farm-in to four Petrobras-operated deepwater blocks in the Brazilian equatorial margin in 2012.

“This is an exciting outcome for BP. It reaffirms our long-term partnership with Brazil, expanding our upstream portfolio to 22 E&P concessions in seven different basins, in addition to our biofuels, lubricants, aviation and marine fuel businesses,” added Guillermo Quintero, BP Brazil Regional President.

BP and its partners now expect to work with the ANP to finalise the awards. The signing of the contracts, in which BP will participate through its Brazilian subsidiary BP Energy do Brasil Ltda., is expected to take place in August 2013.

Table of the awarded blocks:

Foz do Amazonas basin - SFZA-AP1

Barreirinhas basin - SBAR-AP2

Potiguar basin -