Ensco PLC announced plans to add another newbuild drillship to its fleet to help fulfill customer demand for deepwater vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, and elsewhere.

Kosmos Energy Ltd. signed a long-term rig agreement with a subsidiary of Atwood Oceanics Inc. for the newbuild drillship Atwood Achiever, scheduled for completion in June 2014 and expected to commence drilling operations in the second half of 2014.

The UK government has launched an independent review of nontax influences on offshore oil and gas activity, acknowledging the need for careful management of a mature but still-promising industry.

Atwood Oceanics Inc. said Eni SPA has let a drilling contract to one of Atwood’s subsidiaries for use of the Atwood Beacon jack up rig, currently working offshore Israel under a contract expected to conclude by July.

The US drilling rig count fell 6 units during the week ended June 7, reaching a total of 1,765 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Broad, bipartisan support is building among lawmakers at the state and federal levels for expanding access to offshore oil and gas drilling and development, said Erik Milito, American Petroleum Institute director of upstream and industry operations.

Statoil, citing resource and political uncertainties with the Johan Castberg oil development it operates in the Barents Sea offshore Norway, has recommended that the partners delay the investment decision.

Statoil has let contracts for the construction and operation of two tailor-made jack up rigs to be used for drilling at Gullfaks and Oseberg oil fields offshore Norway and to be owned by the license-holders.

Lundin Petroleum AB, Stockholm, said its 16/2-21 appraisal well in the North Sea offshore Norway provided another important data point for the Johan Sverdrup discovery and that it is moving the Bredford Dolphin semisubmersible to drill the 16/3-6 well to appraise Sverdrup’s northeastern flank.

BP PLC plans to add $1 billion in new investment and two drilling rigs to its Alaska North Slope fields over the next 5 years. Executives attributed the increased investment to changes in the state’s oil tax policy that Gov. Sean Parnell signed during May.

The US drilling rig count was up 9 units during the week ended May 31, reaching a total of 1,771 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.

Statoil has accepted a 30-million kroner ($5.1-million) fine imposed earlier this year by a public prosecutor for Rogaland County, Norway, in connection with a May 2010 well-control problem at its Gullfaks C platform in the North Sea.

The Texas Railroad Commission has amended well construction requirements rule to clarify oil and gas well construction requirements related to casing, cementing, drilling, well control, and completions.

The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors has hiked its forecast of 2013 drilling in western Canada 2.3% to 10,649 wells based on first quarter performance that was stronger than expected in the association’s November 2012 forecast.