The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries turns 50 years old Tuesday having survived a tumultuous history of wars, embargoes and in-fighting. The world’s oldest and largest energy producer group is now enjoying prices close to the 75 USD a barrel level that its largest member Saudi Arabia considers “ideal.”
In the first six months of 2010 Falkland Islands based Argos Resources has made significant progress in developing its PL001 Licence in the North Falkland Basin, to anticipate it will begin an exploratory hydrocarbons drilling campaign in the second half of 2011.
Falkland Islands Desire Petroleum (AIM-DES) is upbeat about the prospects for finding major reserves of oil offshore the Islands despite mixed results so far and revealed plans to further drill four wells in the North Falkland basin.
Royal Dutch Shell which refines about 15% of Argentina’s fuel is waging a court battle against a government ban that prevents fuel producers from increasing prices. Shell’s federal court complaint was filed last week following a government order on August 18 mandating oil companies to lower fuel prices to a pre-August 1 level.
After stating that its first well (Ernest) drilled in the southern part of the North Falkland Basin has been declared dry, Rockhopper Exploration (AIM: RKH) was sold down to 265p before rallying sharply to close Wednesday only 2.5p cheaper at 301.25p.
The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, and Ecuador have reached agreement to set up a trust fund to protect an ecological site in an oil-rich area of the South American country’s Amazon region.
Brazil is holding military exercises along its Atlantic coast with the deployment of 10.000 troops from the three services to ensure the country can protect its nuclear plants and massive offshore oil industry.
Argos Resources with exploration licences in the North Falkland Basin expects its shares to be admitted to trading on AIM on Thursday 29 July. Argos Resources has raised £22 million (£20.6 million net of costs) in a placing of new ordinary shares at 31 pence per share which will give the company a market capitalisation of £67 million.
OPEC member Ecuador says it will start renegotiating contracts with private oil companies as it moves to increase state control over the sector. Under the new hydrocarbons law, the current production-sharing agreements will be replaced by a flat fee.
Rockhopper Exploration (AIM: RKH) announced that on Friday early morning it had spudded Ernest 26/6-1 exploration well in the North Falkland Basin, the second well the British company is drilling following the successful discovery of oil in its Sea Lion prospect.