Apache Corp. today announced that an extension well had initial production rates higher than any oil well drilled at the Beryl Field in the UK North Sea since 2001.

H2O Inc.’s Crapzapper™ division has expanded its offerings to provide aftermarket parts for electrolytic type sewage treatment systems.

Hong Kong-based CNOOC Limited today announced that its parent company, China National Offshore Oil Corp., has signed a production sharing contract (PSC) with Roc Oil (Bohai) Company for Block 09/05 in Bohai.

Total announced May 3, 2012, it has been awarded an exploration license for Uruguay's offshore Block 14, following the second bidding round held by the national company, ANCAP.  The license remains subject to further approval by Uruguayan authorities.

A poll of delegates attending the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston has revealed that oil and gas professionals think operators should be liable for the risks associated with their exploration and production activity. Of those polled, 66% thought that operators should accept complete liability, while 33% thought that E&P risk should be passed on to contractors.

The loss since 2004 of 1.5 million barrels/day from its super-giant Cantarell field has prompted PEMEX E&P, the upstream unit of Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico's state-owned oil company, to look again at its portfolio of undrilled prospects in the shallow waters of Campeche. At a PEMEX procurement panel on April 30 at Houston's Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), New Ventures Manager Sergio Guaso outlined PEMEX's plans for public tenders of offshore blocks, including, by year-end, ones in deepwater areas.

Houston-based ATP Oil & Gas Corporation (NASDAQ: ATPG) and its wholly-owned subsidiary ATP East Med BV said April 30 that they have initiated drilling at the Shimshon well in the Levant Basin of offshore Israel in the eastern Mediterranean Sea with the Ensco 5006 drilling unit.

Wood Group Mustang has been awarded the topsides detailed engineering and procurement support for the semi-submersible central processing facility (CPF) in the Ichthys field development. The contract was awarded by Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., the EPC contractor for the CPF.  The project, located off the northwest coast of Australia in 250 meters of water, will be operated by INPEX.

Acteon has appointed Lester Clark as vice president.