:: BP’s Lord Browne to step down
Posted: 15 January 2007
After more than a decade in the CEO role at BP, Lord Browne will retire at the end of July this year. Tony Hayward, currently BP’s head of exploration and production, will succeed Browne from August 1.

:: Dana Gas completes acquisition of Centurion
Posted: 15 January 2007
Dana Gas PJSC said its agreement to acquire Centurion Energy International Inc has been approved and completed as planned.

:: CGG and Veritas DGC merge
Posted: 15 January 2007
Compagnie Generale de Geophysique (CGG) and Veritas DGC merged last week. The combined company was renamed Compagnie Generale de Geophysique-Veritas (CGG-Veritas) and has been trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CGV.

:: GCC Energy Fund invests in MIS
Posted: 15 January 2007
The GCC Energy Fund – the region’s first private equity fund focused on the energy sector – has expanded its role in the oil and gas sector, taking part in the US$80 million private placement raised for Maritime Industrial Services (MIS).

:: GE Energy signs major Qatar deal
Posted: 15 January 2007
GE Energy has signed a multi-million dollar, 20-year Contractual Service Agreement (CSA) with Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) covering three GE Frame 9FA gas turbine-generators at the Ras Abu Fontas B-2 power plant and desalination project in Qatar .

:: New regional manager for PSL Energy
Posted: 15 January 2007
PSL Energy Services Ltd has appointed Charlie Topp as regional manager for the Middle East .

:: GE to acquire Vetco Gray
Posted: 15 January 2007
GE on Monday announced a major expansion of its presence in the global oil and gas industry, entering into an agreement to acquire Vetco Gray for $1.9B from Candover, 3i & JP Morgan Partners.

:: BJ wins underwater pipeline project in Indonesia
Posted: 15 January 2007
BJ Process and Pipeline Services (BJ PPS) announced it has been awarded a major contract to provide pipeline pre-commissioning services by Nippon Steel Engineering Corporation on Phase 1 of the South Sumatra-West Java Gas Pipeline Project (SSWJ 1), an extensive underwater pipeline project in Indonesia.

:: SeaBird swoops in for GeoBird
Posted: 15 January 2007
SeaBird Exploration Limited (BVI) said it has agreed to purchase GeoBird Management Middle East FZ LLC (GeoBird) for $2 million with immediate effect.

:: Circle Oil announces offshore Oman survey
Posted: 15 January 2007
Circle Oil plc, the international E&P company with a growing portfolio of assets in Morocco , Namibia , Oman and Panama , said that in conjunction with TGS-Nopec Geophysical Company - work is progressing according to plan on the acquisition of approximately 6,000 kilometers of 2D seismic data over Block 52, offshore Oman . The signing of the contract for this survey with TGS-Nopec was noted in September 2006.

:: Sky to receive $1.1 million from Mubarek Production
Posted: 15 January 2007
Sky Petroleum, Inc. will receive $1,140,470 from its second allocation of production revenue from the Mubarek H2 well offshore the UAE.

:: Wavefield wins offshore Libya contract from CNPC
Posted: 15 January 2007
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has selected Wavefield Inseis for a new 3D seismic survey offshore Libya . Due to commence in Q1 2007, the 3D marine survey is expected to take one and a half months and will be acquired by Wavefield Inseis' M/V Geowave Commander.

:: Apache makes five discoveries in Egypt's Western Desert
Posted: 15 January 2007
Apache announced the following wells in the Western Desert of Egypt which have been completed or are in the process of being tested and should establish new reserves and production for Egypt and Apache's shareholders:

:: Gulf Keystone reports formal approval of Algeria contracts
Posted: 15 January 2007
Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. said the Algerian government has formally approved the company's contracts relating to the Hassi Ba Hamou (HBH) and Ben Guecha concessions in that country.