Trident Energy has announced the completion of a suite of transactions involving the acquisition of Chevron Overseas (Congo) Ltd. and a swap with TotalEnergies SE covering several fields in the Republic of the Congo. With the sale of its local subsidiary, United States energy giant Chevron Corp. transferred its 31.5 percent non-operating stakes in the Moho-Bilondo block and the Nkossa and Nsoko II fields, as well as a 15.75 percent operating stake in the Lianzi field, to London-based Trident Energy. Trident Energy also obtained TotalEnergies’ operating 53.5 percent stakes in Nkossa and Nsoko II, raising its ownership in the two fields to 85 percent. State-owned Societe Nationale des Petroles du Congo (SNPC) has the remaining 15 percent. In exchange the French energy major acquired an additional 10 percent stake in the Moho-Bilondo block, which consists of the Moho-Bilondo field and the Moho Nord field. Operator TotalEnergies now holds a 63.5 percent stake in the license. Trident Energy has 21.5 percent. SNPC owns the remaining 15 percent. Trident Energy expects the new acquisitions to add about 30,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) to its production. In the Moho-Bilondo block, Moho Nord is producing with a capacity of 140,000 bopd, according to information on TotalEnergies’ website. Meanwhile the mature fields Nkossa and Nsoko II, located 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) off the coast, have a combined average output of 15,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, according to TotalEnergies. The transactions are “significant” for Trident Energy, “which has proven expertise in extending field life and unlocking production from mid-life assets as demonstrated by their takeovers in Brazil and Equatorial Guinea”, Trident Energy said in an online statement announcing completion. Trident Energy chief executive Jean-Michel Jacoulot said, “We look forward to working with TotalEnergies Congo, the SNPC and the Congolese government to generate further

Crude oil’s strong start to the year was reinforced on January 10 with the announcement of the latest, and most extensive yet, round of U.S. sanctions on Russia. That’s what analysts at Standard Chartered Bank, including the company’s commodities research head Paul Horsnell, said in a report sent to Rigzone by Horsnell this week, adding that the new restrictions “roughly triple the number of directly sanctioned Russian crude oil tankers, enough to affect around 900,000 barrels per day”. “We do not expect Russia to be able to maintain the full extent of the flow, even with an increase in the use of shadow fleet tankers and ship-to-ship transfers, with perhaps an average 500,000 barrels per day of displacements over the next six months,” the Standard Chartered Bank analysts added in the report. “The global market had already tightened over the past three months, and the dislocation of Russian exports adds a further layer of prompt demand,” they went on to state. In a market analysis sent to Rigzone on Tuesday, Maria Agustina Patti, Financial Markets Strategist Consultant to Exness, said the U.S. sanctions “are expected to reduce Russian oil exports, potentially cutting up to 700,000 barrels per day from global supply”. “However, actual disruptions might be smaller, as Russia and its key buyers explore alternative shipping arrangements,” Patti added in the analysis. A research note sent to Rigzone late Tuesday by the JPM Commodities Research team said the estimated value of open interest across energy markets “increased by four percent week on week ($29 billion) to $668 billion”. “The increase was predominantly driven by crude oil and petroleum products which experienced healthy inflows of $12 billion during the week across all trader types,” the note added. “This was further supported by strong price action across WTI/Brent crude oil markets which rallied by

A group representing local councils who are building an energy-from-waste (EfW) incinerator in North East England has hit back after a local MP criticised the project and called for it to be halted. The Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF) is a joint venture between seven North East councils – Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Durham County and Newcastle City – which will burn over 400,000  tonnes of unrecyclable waste each year to generate electricity on the Teesworks site. Labour MP for Redcar Anna Turley wrote to the councils responsible stating her opposition to the project last week on the grounds that residents in Grangetown, adjacent to the planned incinerator, had expressed concerns about the health implications of the new facility being built. In response, the TVERF partners described recent media coverage and opposition to waste incineration as “scaremongering.” The project partners criticised a BBC investigation published in October, saying it was “highly selective” and did not “reflect the operational realities” of energy-from-waste facilities. They were also critical of local activists, who have been included in local press coverage. In September, healthcare professionals were among those who protested outside Newcastle Civic Centre against plans to send the city’s waste to Teesside. One of the protestors, Dr Matthew Keegan, said at the time: “This project will result in waste from across the whole region getting dumped on an area that has already been overburdened by pollution, inequality and government neglect.” His sentiments were echoed in Ms Turley’s criticisms. “Communities across Grangetown,” she wrote, “feel they are being asked to bear a disproportionate burden in the region’s waste management strategy.” She continued: “Grangetown, in particular, has shouldered more than its fair share of industrial developments. “It is time to explore alternative solutions that better balance the needs for the region

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has announced a supply chain programme aimed at helping Scotland’s island and coastal communities benefit from the offshore wind industry. The Fit for Offshore Renewables (F4OR) Island programme will offer fully-funded, expert support to help eligible companies succeed in the offshore wind industry, both at home and abroad. It builds on ORE Catapult’s Fit for Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme, which was established in 2019. Director of development and operations at ORE Catapult Andy Macdonald said: “Scotland’s islands have a proud history of technology innovation and engineering prowess coupled with an enviable depth of specialist expertise gained servicing the oil and gas sector. They are therefore ideally equipped to make the transition to the growing offshore wind sector and we would encourage companies developing innovative technology solutions to apply for this latest programme.” The new programme has been tailored to better fit the business demographics of Scottish island and coastal-based businesses, with changes to the entry requirements to make it more accessible and plans to deliver more support at the winning businesses’ operational locations to reduce the need for travel. Up to ten companies will be selected to join the F4OR Island programme. Under the F4OR programme, companies undergo a rigorous evaluation process comprising health and safety standards, environmental sustainability practices, project management capabilities and financial stability, as well as their applicability to the renewable energy market. The project is being delivered in partnership with the developers of four major Scottish offshore wind farm projects – MachairWind, Spiorad na Mara, Stoura and Arven. ScottishPower Renewables’ MachairWind development lead Kiera Wilson said: “It’s great to be working with ORE Catapult and fellow ScotWind developers to bring this exciting opportunity to life for our island and coastal communities. “We know from speaking to many local businesses in

Russia claimed it damaged ground infrastructure of one of the largest natural gas storage sites in Ukraine’s Lviv region during a series of attacks on the country’s energy sector on Wednesday. The strike was a response to Ukraine’s use of US and British missiles on Russian territories, Russian Defense Ministry said in the statement in Telegram. Moscow also said it was retaliating for an earlier attack on a gas compressor station in the Krasnodar region, which is important for flows through the TurkStream conduit that is the last remaining pipeline for Russian supplies to Europe. Russia’s claim of damaging the gas storage’s ground facilities could not be independently verified. Attacks of energy infrastructure in both countries have intensified this week as Kyiv closed its pipeline network for Russian supplies to Europe starting from this year. The hits on Wednesday forced emergency power cuts across large swathes of Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirming that the energy sector, including gas infrastructure, was the main target of the strike.    Lviv Governor Maksym Kozytskyi said that the Russians targeted two critical infrastructure facilities, including one in Stryi, that caused some damage. Ukraine had earlier this week carried out a massive attack on energy and military facilities across central Russia and the Volga region. Those raids targeted two chemical plants in the Tula said and Bryansk regions and hit an ammunition warehouse at the Engels airfield in the Saratov region, setting Rosneft PJSC’s Saratov oil refinery on fire, a Ukrainian official said. What do you think? We’d love to hear from you, join the conversation on the Rigzone Energy Network. The Rigzone Energy Network is a new social experience created for you and all energy professionals to Speak Up about our industry, share knowledge, connect with peers and industry insiders and engage in a professional community that will empower

A consortium of Aker Solutions and Siemens Energy have received full notice to proceed with work on RWE’s Norfolk Vanguard West and East offshore wind farms. Aker Solutions’ scope includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the high voltage direct current (HVDC) offshore platform. Siemens Energy is responsible for the onshore station as well as the high voltage equipment in the offshore substations. Aker Solutions has provided work for the projects under a limited notice to proceed announced in November 2023. The joint venture between Aker Solutions and Drydocks World will deliver the two HVDC platforms. Fabrication of the platform topsides will be executed by Drydocks World in Dubai, UAE, while the fabrication of the substructure will be executed by Aker Solutions’ yard in Verdal, Norway. Project execution has started, with engineering and procurement activities ongoing for both platform topsides and substructures. Fabrication of the Norfolk Vanguard West platform started at Drydocks World in April of this year, while fabrication of the Norfolk Vanguard East platform is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2025. The platforms will be delivered and installed in 2027 and 2028. Before offshore installation, they will be towed to Aker Solutions’ Stord yard for final preparations, including transfer from transportation vessel to heavy lift vessel. Aker Solutions’ new build segment executive vice-president Sturla Magnus said: “We are proud to be a key partner in this important energy project, which represents a significant source of renewable energy and a major step in Europe’s energy transformation. “The project also aligns with Aker Solutions’ strategy to expand our activities in renewables and energy transition projects, reinforcing our position as a leader in sustainable energy solutions.” The Norfolk Vanguard West and East represent the first phase of RWE’s 4.2GW Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, which also includes the