Empire Energy Group has locked in contractors to start drilling its Carpentaria-5H well next month, with an aim of supplying 25 terajoules a day for 10 years under a new agreement with the NT Government. The company has confirmed it has signed deals with Ensign Australia for drilling services and Halliburton Australia for fracture stimulation at the pilot project that sits 650km south-east of Darwin.
Australia's competition watchdog believes the planned global merger of oilfield services companies Halliburton and Baker Hughes could give the combined group, and current market leader Schlumberger, too much power.
