The Well Life Cycle Practices Forum (WLCPF), set up in the UK after the Macondo tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, has published four new sets of guidelines for offshore operational safety.

The US rig count declined by 11 units during the week ending July 27. The total number of rotary rigs in the US reached 1,924 this week, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 1,908 during the comparable week last year.

The US rig count declined by 18 units during the week ending July 20. The US total reached 1,935 for the week, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. This compares with 1,916 during the same week last year.

DNO International ASA will replace a 4.3-km section of the 12-in. pipeline between the West Bukha and Bukha platforms offshore Oman after efforts to clear a blockage failed.

US oil well completions grew 13% year-to-year in the second quarter to 7,195, while gas well completions fell 24% to 2,472, the American Petroleum Institute said in its latest quarterly well completion report.

Talisman Energy Inc. and farmee San Leon Energy PLC will proceed to horizontally drill shale formations in Poland’s Baltic basin after completing a three-well vertical drilling program with a successful completion, San Leon Energy said.

Phase 1 of the BassGas midlife enhancement project at Yolla natural gas field in the Tasmanian Bass basin has suffered the second major cost blow-out and construction delay in a few months.

The US rig count declined a dozen units during the week ending July 13. The US total reached 1,953 for the week, Baker Hughes Inc. reported, compared with 1,905 during the same week last year.

The US rig count gained 6 units during the week ending July 6. Baker Hughes Inc. reported the US total at 1,965 rigs for the week, compared with 1,887 during the same week last year.

EQT Corp., Pittsburgh, has launched a pilot program in which it has converted a diesel rotary rig to run on natural gas liquefied from local Marcellus gas production.

The US rig count slipped by 7 during the week ending June 29. Baker Hughes Inc. reported the US total at 1,959 rigs for the week, compared with 1,886 during the same week last year.

EnQuest Britain Ltd. has let a contract to Technip for subsea equipment and services in its revitalization of a North Sea oil field once known as Argyll, the first field to produce oil at commercial rates offshore the UK.

Global growth in land rig demand will average 5%/year in 2012-2016, expanding the rig fleet to more than 11,000 units from the 9,700 in service today, said a study by Douglas-Westwood Ltd., Canterbury, UK.