Rosneft and a subsidiary of Petroleo de Venezuela SA have signed an agreement to form a joint venture to develop heavy oil resources in Venezuela’s Orinoco belt.

InterOil Corp. and its joint venture partner, Pacific LNG Group, are talking with ExxonMobil Papua New Guinea Ltd. regarding development of Elk and Antelope gas-condensate fields.

Increased flexibility for operators remains an open question in a revised proposal for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing, according to a May 23 legal update by Roger W. Patrick of the law firm Mayer Brown.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC has let a subsea equipment contract to FMC Technologies Inc. in a move to continue development of Stones oil and gas field in the Gulf of Mexico.

Gazprom Neft has conducted what it says is the first hydraulic fracturing ever on Russia’s Yamal Pensinsula at geologically complex Novoport oil and gas condensate field.

Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Co. (ADMA-OPCO) has awarded Technip, Paris, a lump-sum turnkey contract for engineering, procurement, construction, precommissioning, commissioning, and start-up assistance for flare modifications and revamp on Das Island.

Depressurization in a pioneering test flow of methane from hydrates offshore Japan earlier this year involved a specially designed electric submersible pump system able to separate methane from water and move them to the drillship through separate production strings (OGJ Online, Mar. 12, 2013).

The European Parliament authorized a new offshore oil and gas operations directive that requires operators to prove their ability to cover potential liabilities and to submit major hazard reports and emergency response plans before operations start.

Petroleum Development Oman and GlassPoint Solar have commissioned a solar enhanced oil recovery system at Amal West oil field in southern Oman (OGJ Online, Aug. 4, 2011).

Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. said it is using natural gas from the Marcellus shale in Susquehanna County, Pa., to fracture wells via dual-fuel technology in a process that can displace as much as 70% of the diesel fuel traditionally used to operate hydraulic fracturing equipment.

Hercules Offshore Inc. agreed to sell 11 inland barge rigs, which includes 3 active rigs, 8 cold-stacked rigs, and related assets for $45 million.

Oil production has started ahead of schedule from Fletcher Finucane oil field offshore Western Australia in the Carnarvon basin, project operator Santos Ltd. reported.

The US drilling rig count was unchanged during the week ended May 17, maintaining a total of 1,769 rotary rigs working, Baker Hughes Inc. reported.