Over the past year we have had substantial dialogue with our secured lenders to amend and extend c.USD8 billion in first lien secured debt. During the second half of last year, we began to engage with potential new money investors, including Hemen Holdings Ltd. In December 2016, we formally engaged with an ad hoc committee of bondholders, and agreed that by January 31 2017 we would release through a 6k filing agreed material non-public information disclosed to the ad hoc committee of bondholders, including the Company's latest restructuring proposal and the last proposal that the Company has received from the ad hoc committee.

“Today’s report shows evidence that the consistent decline in oil and natural gas drilling could be coming to an end,” said Hazem Arafa, director of API’s statistics department.

If oil passes $70 a barrel, the U.S. could start pumping out an extra million barrels a day, offsetting much of the planned cut from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, according to a Citigroup Inc. analysis.

U.S. shale drillers are set to ramp up spending on exploration and production next year as recovering oil prices prompt banks to extend credit lines for the first time in two years.

Highlights: - Revenue of $743 million - Operating income of $247 million - EBITDA of $441 million - 95% economic utilization - Reported Net Loss of $656 million and diluted loss per share of $1.29, reflecting an $882 million non-cash impairment to investments primarily relating to Seadrill Partners. - Underlying Net Income , excluding non-recurring items and non-cash mark to market movements on derivatives,was $135 million and earnings per share was $0.28. - Cash and cash equivalents of $1.3 billion - Seadrill Limited orderbacklog of approximately $3.0 billion

API announced today that estimated oil wells drilled and completed in the third quarter of 2016 remained relatively unchanged from the previous quarter at 2,285. That is a decline of 3.7%, which follows an average of 17.3% in quarterly declines for the past year and a half.

Baker Hughes Inc., the services company that tracks drilling activity worldwide, said just 27 rigs operated last month in the North Sea, the lowest number since records started in January 1982. The previous low was set in October 1999, when oil prices plunged to $10 a barrel.

Demand for land rigs will rise 29 percent next year to 579, the S&P Global Platts unit said in a report released at the Benposium East conference in New York on Wednesday. Platts RigData forecasts average West Texas Intermediate crude prices to climb 23 percent to $52.18 a barrel in 2017. The Henry Hub natural gas benchmark is seen increasing 26 percent to $3.05 per million British thermal units.

In Saudi Arabia, Saipem has been awarded an extension of three years to drilling activities being carried out by ten 2000 HP drilling rigs. In South America, in addition to various extensions ranging in duration from two to twenty-four months for medium and high power rigs in Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile, Saipem has also been awarded a new contract for operations in Argentina, which will be carried out by an hydraulic type rig over a period of eighteen months.

Schlumberger will drill 80 wells in an extra-heavy oil field in the Orinoco Belt, said company spokesman Joao Felix. Terms of the deal, which are still being negotiated, will ensure payment from the government.