Gulfport Energy Corp., Oklahoma City, reported production test results on two operated Utica shale wells in eastern Ohio.

Continental Resources Inc., Oklahoma City, the top producer and leaseholder in the Williston basin Bakken play, said it increased its end-2012 proved reserves 54% to 785 million bbl of oil equivalent, 72% oil.

Magnum Hunter Resources Corp. said it intends to drill a minimum of four Utica test wells in Ohio this year. If results are similar to those experienced by offset operators in the area, then further development on the leasehold position is planned later in the year.

Sunshine Oilsands Ltd., Calgary, has approved a budget for 2013 that includes the drilling of 16 well-pairs at its West Ells project and preliminary work at its Thickwood and Legend Lake areas, all in the Athabasca oil sands region of Alberta and targeted for development with steam-assisted gravity drainage.

Lukoil and two state oil companies have lowered the contractual target for crude oil output from West Qurna-2 oil field in Iraq by one-third.

Production of extra heavy crude oil began late in December from the first well operated by the Petrocarabobo joint venture in the Orinoco oil belt of Venezuela.

Calik Enerji has spudded Giremir-1, initial exploratory well on the Sinan license in southeastern Turkey, said Anatolia Energy Corp., Calgary.

Islamist militants attacked the In Amenas gas production facility Jan. 16 in eastern Algeria near the Libyan border and were said to have seized an “undetermined” number of hostages, according to various news reports.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) shut down Cormorant Alpha platform in the northern UK North Sea and the Brent System pipeline infrastructure extending through the platform as a precaution following a hydrocarbon release into one platform leg.

TNK-BP will focus development work at supergiant Verkhnechonskoye oil and condensate field in the northern Irkutsk region of Russia on expanding capacity of the oil treatment unit to 7.5 million tonnes/year and building a third train of the power park and other infrastructure.

Supergiant Zapolyarnoye natural gas and condensate field has reached its design capacity output of 130 billion cu m/year to become Russia’s most prolific gas field, reports Gazprom, parent of operator Gazprom Dobycha Yamburg.