BHP Billiton drills appraisal well in Mad Dog field
Sept. 8, 2011
BHP Billiton has announced the drilling of a successful appraisal well in the northern area of the Mad Dog field in the Gulf of Mexico.
Offshore staff
MELBOURNE, Australia – BHP Billiton has announced the drilling of a successful appraisal well in the northern area of the Mad Dog field in the Gulf of Mexico. The well results confirm that hydrocarbons initially in place in the field area are now estimated to be up to 4 Bboe.
BHP Billiton drilled the well on behalf of the unit operator BP. The well is located on Gulf of Mexico Green Canyon block 738 about 140 mi (225 km) south of Grand Isle, La., in about 4,500 ft (1,371 m) of water. The well encountered about 166 net ft (50 m) of hydrocarbons in the objective Miocene hydrocarbon-bearing sands, within a discovered oil column of more than 300 ft (91 m).
J. Michael Yeager, BHP Billiton Petroleum CEO, said: “The additional hydrocarbon resources north of the main field establish Mad Dog as a giant field. We will be working with BP to evaluate development options to quickly bring these resources to market."
BHP Billiton has a 23.9% interest, Chevron has a 15.6% interest and BP has a 60.5% working interest.
