General

Viridien has announced the US launch of its industrial Viridien Cloud for AI and HPC production at SuperComputing 2024. This move expands on Viridien Cloud’s established success in Europe, by now offering tailored cloud solutions and end-to-end expertise to optimize compute-intensive production workloads for US industries. 

Building on decades of established HPC operations in the US that have supported its subsurface imaging business, Viridien is now introducing its innovative cloud solutions to meet the evolving and specific needs of key sectors, including AI, life sciences, engineering, digital media and energy.

READ MORE

As part of its ambition to aim for near-zero methane emissions by 2030, TotalEnergies has announced it will monitor and reduce methane emissions with the deployment of continuous, real-time detection equipment at all of its operated Upstream sites.

Since 2022, TotalEnergies said it has been pursuing its ambition to aim for near-zero methane operated emissions in 2030: the Company will meet as soon as this year and target to reduce emissions by 50% compared to 2020, a year ahead of plan.

TotalEnergies said it was thus "well on track to achieve the targeted 80% reduction by 2030.

READ MORE

Shell has won an appeal against a 2021 ruling that ordered the supermajor to reduce its carbon footprint by 45%.

The appeals court, which was heard in The Hague, Netherlands, found that Shell did have a responsibility to cut emissions, but not by a stipulated amount.

The 2021 ruling had found that Shell should slash emissions by 45% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels.

The court said Shell was already on track to meet its own emission reduction targets and it was uncertain if demands that it further reduce emissions caused by the use of its products would help the battle against climate change.

READ MORE

SANTOS has raised eyebrows with a stern rebuttal of reports that it’s CEO Kevin Gallagher was destined to replace Chris Ellison as chief executive of Minres.

This came after Ellison, MinRes’s founder and the company’s biggest shareholder fell foul of ASX reporting on tax related issues and the company announced he would be stepping down as CEO within 12-18 months.

The West Australian had reported that Gallagher,59,  Australia;’s longest serving energy CEO, over the past 9-years, could be ticked off as a potential candidate.

Santos responded almost immediately, dismissing any such suggestion as “completely fabricated, without foundation and false”.

The masthead handballed responsibility to MST Marquee energy analyst Saul Kavonic who it said had “speculated” in his daily newsletter that Gallagher could be MinRes bound in the not-too-distant future.

READ MORE

Shearwater Geoservices Holding AS (“Shearwater”) has secured its second award from TotalEnergies for an Angolan OBN project. This follows the recent award of a project at block B32 on October 9, 2024.

The three-month deepwater OBN survey at B20/11 covering the Golfinho and Cameia fields, will utilise the Shearwater OBN platform comprising of the Pearl node and the company’s fit for purpose dual ROV-equipped SW Tasman. The SW Gallien will be acting as source vessel and the project will be in direct continuation of the previously announced project.

Shearwater CEO Irene Waage Basili commented,

“These consecutive projects underline the strength of our long-term strategy and adds to the already impressive utilisation of the Shearwater OBN platform.

READ MORE

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT, Beach) is pleased to announce first gas from the Thylacine West 1 and 2 development wells following successful connection to the Otway Gas Plant.The Thylacine West development wells are located approximately 70 kilometres south of Port Campbell at a water depth of approximately 100 metres. The field is connected to the Thylacine subsea network via a 4.2 kilometre 8” flowline.

Commenting on first gas, Managing Director and CEO Brett Woods said: “First gas from Thylacine West marks completion of the largest ever offshore drilling and development program in the Otway Basin, a major achievement for Beach.

READ MORE

Viridien and SLB have recently completed the acquisition of a new multi-client survey in the Bonaparte Basin, off the NW coast of Australia, that has received industry support and prefunding. The resulting 6,760 sq km ultramodern PSDM seismic data set will provide a thorough evaluation of this highly prospective and underexplored area to improve industry understanding. The data is currently being processed and the final data will be available in Q2 2025.

The complex geological area has been historically challenging to image due to the presence of carbonates and the shallow water.

READ MORE

'Kinetiko Energy Ltd (ASX: KKO) has seen its share price plunge 28% after the first of a five-well drilling program failed to find commercial gas quantities.

The Perth-based explorer is developing an energy solution for South Africa focused on commercialising its 100% owned advanced shallow conventional gas projects in the Mpumalanga Province. At press time KKO as priced at 6.8c.

Drilling at well 271-23PT commenced on Friday, 27 September and was completed ahead of schedule on 16 October 2025.

READ MORE

Santos has announced the Darwin LNG joint venture -operated by Santos and in which Santos holds a 43.43 per cent interest -has achieved financial close of new syndicated bank loan facilities totalling US$800 million.

The facilities comprise a US$350 million 7-year, partially amortising loan maturing in 2031 and a US$450 million, 12-year partially amortising loan maturing in 2036. The facilities are senior-secured by Darwin LNG Pty Ltd. The shareholders in Darwin LNG Pty Ltd, including Santos, have granted security over their shares in that company.

The facilities received strong support from existing and new syndicated banking relationships and the proceeds will be used to fund the DLNG life extension works.

READ MORE