FMC Technologies, Inc. announced that its enhanced vertical deepwater tree (EVDT) system set a new deepwater completion record of 9,627 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. The world record depth was achieved at the Shell-operated Tobago field, part of the Perdido development, as reported in last week’s Gulf of Mexico Activity Report.

ION Geophysical Corporation named Gregory J. Heinlein as its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Market reports indicate ENSCO, plc and Noble Corporation are close to signing long-term floating rig contracts in the Gulf of Mexico. Indications are that BP will charter newbuild drillship ENSCO DS-6 for a multiyear (believed to be five-to-seven years) contract starting in the first-half of 2012. The rig is scheduled for delivery from Samsung Shipyard in South Korea in December. Further rumors are that Noble will sign semi Noble Jim Day to a new multi-year deal with Shell starting in February 2012. The rig is currently working for the operator under a one-year deal that began in February. Shell also has contracts in the Gulf with Noble for semis Noble Danny Adkins, Noble Driller and the Noble Jim Thompson, and is due to pick up newbuild drillships Noble Bully I and Noble Globetrotter I later this year and in early 2012. Details of the new contracts will be reported once they are wrapped up. Meanwhile, BP and Petrobras have finalized a sixmonth sublet of newbuild drillship ENSCO DS-3, and the rig is now underway to Angola. The rig is scheduled to work there until mid-2012, after which it likely will return to the US Gulf. ENSCO’s contract with BP runs ...

Stone Energy Corporation signed an agreement with BP, plc, providing for the acquisition by Stone of BP’s 75% operated working interest in the five block deep water Pompano field in Mississippi Canyon, a 51% operated working interest in the adjacent Mississippi Canyon block 29, a 50% non-operated working interest in the Mica field which ties back to the Pompano platform, and interests in certain deep water exploration leases located in the vicinity of the Pompano field. The purchase price under the agreement is a $204 million cash transaction. The Pompano platform is a fourleg, twelve-pile fixed structure situated in 1,300 feet of water with 23 producing wells and production capacity of 60,000 bopd and 135 mmcfg/d. The acquisition is expected to close by early 2012.

ConocoPhillips’ newly designated Chief Executive Officer, Ryan Lance, has selected three members of his executive management team, including Matt Fox who will become Executive Vice President, Exploration and Production. Alan J. Hirshberg will become Executive Vice President, Technology and Projects and Don E. Wallette, Jr. will become Executive Vice President, Business Development and Commercial.

Chevron Corporation reported its subsidiary, Chevron Brasil Upstream Frade, Ltda., has voluntarily suspended its current and future drilling operations, offshore Brazil. ...

Total mobile rig utilization in the Gulf of Mexico is down this week as one rig departed the area. Currently, 62 of 114 rigs are under contract or committed for work for utilization of 54.4%. Marketed utilization, which excludes cold stacked and other rigs here but not marketed in the US Gulf, is now 91.2% with 62 of 68 rigs under contract.

Utilization of the jackup fleet is unchanged from last week. Overall fleet utilization is 47.4% with 36 of 76 units under contract or committed for work. Marketed utilization remains at 85.7% with 36 of 42 units contracted.

Floating rig utilization increased this week. A contracted ENSCO drillship left for Angola, accounting for the change. Current fleet utilization is 81.3% with 26 of 32 units under contract, while marketed utilization remains at 100% with all 26 units under contract.

Total platform rig fleet utilization is still 44% with 22 of 50 units under contract. Marketed utilization stands at 62.9% with 22 of 35 units under contract or committed for work.

Inland barge utilization increased overall this week as several units went on and came off contract. Total utilization rose to 50.8% with 30 of 59 units contracted. Marketed utilization ...