Horn Mountain Spar nearly ready

The Horn Mountain Spar is set for installation in Mississippi Canyon Block 127 by June, Alliance Engineering said. Mike Mahoney, Alliance vice president for deepwater projects, said Balder will install the 14-slot Spar in 5,400 ft water depth. When installed, it will be the world's deepest water dry tree production platform. Vastar, now a part of BP, drilled the Horn Mountain discovery well in August 1999, and BP and Oxy sanctioned the project in October 2000. The installation is set for 21 months from sanction. Speaking to engineers at an Alliance-sponsored deepwater breakfast forum, Mahoney said the fast-track schedule of lightweight platforms is Alliance's focus.
"Displacement is expensive," he said. Alliance works to decrease weight in a number of areas, starting with structural practices and vessel configuration. Compact packaging is another useful method of decreasing displacement. The Horn Mountain Spar will weigh around 4,500 tons. It will handle 65,000 b/d and 70 MMcf/d and is set up to handle subsea tiebacks.
Next, Alliance turns its lightweight touch to the Marco Polo and Magnolia tension leg platforms (TLPs). El Paso and Anadarko's Marco Polo project, set for August 2003 installation at Green Canyon Block 608, is moving into construction. Engineering phase has begun for Conoco's Magnolia TLP development in Green Canyon Block 783. This project is set for 2004 installation and should have a capacity of 50,000 b/d and 250 MMcf/d.