revenue and customs, taxes

IR35 Budget Update

Philip Hammond announced in the Autumn Budget Statement that the IR35 reforms introduced into the public sector in 2017, would be extended to some areas of the private sector from 6th April 2020. IR35, also known as the ‘intermediaries legislation’, is a set of rules designed by HMRC to ensure that people who offer their services…

Quad lift, Mexico

Revolutionary Way of Lifting Offshore Successfully Tested

Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) has developed a globally unique, innovative way of lifting that will redefine the boundaries of lifting operations offshore. This ‘QUAD lifting’ was tested successfully on October 22, 2018 in the Gulf of Mexico. The QUAD lifting enables HMC to integrally install and/or remove oversized topsides or jackets. This revolutionary innovation is…

Well drilling, insight report

OGA report emphasises the requirement to substantially increase new oil well drilling

The OGA has issued its first Wells Insight report, following a period of two years collating and verifying well data, which provides a comprehensive insight into UKCS well stock and activity which will provide extremely valuable information for operators, service and technology providers. The report’s key messages emphasise the requirement to substantially increase new well…

Bridge border, Hong Kong, Zhuhai

China opens world’s longest sea crossing

Chinese President Xi Jinping has opened a new bridge between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland – the longest sea crossing in the world. The 34-mile (55km) bridge has been under construction for the past nine years, costs about £15bn and includes two artificial islands. Some 6.7km of the crossing runs through a tunnel underneath the…

Total, gas & oil

Total announces major gas discovery off Shetland

Energy company Total has announced a major gas discovery off Shetland. Initial tests at a site on the Glendronach prospect indicated there could be about one trillion cubic feet of gas which could be extracted. Total’s Arnaud Breuillac said the discovery could be commercialised by using the current Laggan-Tormore infrastructure. Total has a 60% stake…

Gazprom, gas-and-condensate field

Gazprom’s Yamal megaproject

Russian energy giant Gazprom has announced that it will begin full-scale development of the giant Kharasaveyskoye gas-and-condensate field on the Yamal Peninsula in arctic Russia from 2019. The Yamal Peninsula is of strategic important to the Russian Oil & Gas industry in securing long-term supplies to their consumer market. The region is already home to…