In line with Total S.A’s announcement in July 2012 of an exceptional reserve, the company announced today that it has reached final agreements with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) putting an end to an investigation initiated in 2003 concerning petroleum contracts awarded in Iran in the 1990s. Following negotiations, Total S.A agreed to pay a total amount of $398.2 million to the U.S. government. The DOJ considered and acknowledged Total’s cooperation and disclosure over the course of several years.  The DOJ also noted the age of the allegations.

 Technip was awarded by Statoil an engineering, procurement, construction and installation lump-sum contract for the Norne field development, located in the Norwegian Sea at a water depth of approximately 380 meters.

 US energy business GE Oil & Gas has signed a £54million deal with Pemex to support the operator’s Gulf of Mexico projects.

 Noble Energy will begin drilling for natural gas at a new appraisal well off Cyprus.

The US firm, which reported a natural gas find of up to 8 trillion cubic feet southeast of the island two years ago, is conducting the appraisal to quantify and confirm the earlier find.

 Technip was awarded by NOVA Chemicals Corporation the detail engineering, and procurement services contract for the Polyethylene 1 expansion project located at their Joffre site* near Red Deer in Alberta, Canada.

 Fugro Subsea Services Ltd, based in Aberdeen, has successfully completed the mobilisation of five FCV 3000C work-class ROV systems.

These brand new ROV systems were installed onboard four support vessels; two existing ships in the Fugro Subsea Services fleet had their ROV capability upgraded, whilst two new ROV support vessels have been added for 2013.

 BP announced it is planning to add $1 billion in new investment and two drilling rigs to its Alaska North Slope fields over the next five years due to changes in the state’s oil tax policy signed into law this month by Gov. Sean Parnell. 

 Technip, leader of a consortium with Samsung Engineering Co Ltd and China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corporation, was awarded by Pacific NorthWest LNG Limited Partnership a contract for the front end engineering design and the early detailed engineering services of a grassroot liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. This project is proposed to be located on Lelu Island, British Columbia, Canada.

 It might seem odd choosing this issue of Energy to mark the 25th year since the Piper Alpha disaster of July 6, 1988, but we have taken our cue from the North Sea industry’s three-day Piper25 conference on June 18-20.

A quarter of a century is a long time . . . nearly a generation in the classic sense and long enough for direct memory of Piper to be eliminated from corporate minds. By that I mean the “Great Crew Change” that characterises this industry in a very particular way. I’ll come back to this.

  FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FTI) announced that it has received orders from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) for subsea equipment for its Heidelberg field.

 Subsea 7 S.A. today announced a contract award by Pemex to its Mexican joint venture valued at approximately $90 million.

 FMC Technologies, Inc. announced that it has received an order from Shell for the supply of subsea equipment to support the Stones field development.

 Technip was awarded by ADMA-OPCO(1) a lump-sum turnkey contract for the engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning and start-up assistance for flares modification and revamp project on Das Island. Das Island is located 290 kilometers offshore Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the Gulf.

 Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) and Total are pleased to announce the signing of a framework of Agreement whereby QPI will participate in Total E&P Congo through its subscription to a 15% share capital increase of this company. This participation reinforces Qatar’s commitment to invest in Africa and illustrates Congo’s willingness to welcome Qatar as a new partner. Furthermore, thanks to its subscription to the capital of Total E&P Congo, QPI will contribute to the company’s significant investment programme in Congo, specifically the Moho North project.