Offshore staff
(US, GoM)- Kerr-McGee has made a natural gas discovery in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico at the Claymore prospect located in Atwater Valley block 140. Claymore is located in approximately 3,700 ft of water, 150 mi southeast of New Orleans, LA.
Kerr-McGee reported that the Claymore #1 well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 25,000 ft and encountered more than 150 ft of net pay in multiple zones.
"We are encouraged by the Claymore discovery," said David A. Hager, Kerr- McGee chief operating officer. "This is the first well in our 2006 subsalt program in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and this discovery provides momentum as we execute our exploration program that includes four to five additional high-impact subsalt targets this year.
"The initial data indicates this reservoir contains dry gas with very high rock quality," added Hager. "We plan to finalize the evaluation of this well, and immediately drill a side-track appraisal well to define the aerial extent and potential resources."
Diamond Offshore's semisub,Ocean Star, will remain on location and begin drilling the side-track appraisal well, approximately 4,600 ft to the northeast of the discovery well to test the down-dip limit of the reservoir.
Kerr-McGee operates Claymore with a 33.5% working interest. Partners in the discovery include Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc. (31.5% working interest), Statoil Gulf of Mexico LLC (25%) and Woodside Energy (USA) Inc. (10%).
Kerr-McGee has commissioned Diamond Offshore to drill the Caesar prospect, located in Green Canyon block 683. The well currently is at approximately 29,000 ft. Kerr-McGee operates Caesar, which is a subsalt Miocene prospect, with a 20% working interest.
Partners in Caesar include Shell (62.5%) and Plains Exploration & Production Company (17.5%).
Kerr-McGee also spud the Grand Cayman prospect located in Garden Banks blocks 517, 518, 561 and 562. The company operates Grand Cayman with a 35% working interest. Partners include Plains Exploration & Production Company (30%), Statoil Gulf of Mexico LLC (25%) and Newfield Exploration Company (10%).
Kerr-McGee additionally plans to spud the Norman prospect, located in Garden Banks block 434, although appraisal work at Claymore will delay the planned spud. Once the appraisal work is complete at Claymore, theOcean Star is expected to move to Norman.
"Our deepwater exploration team has put together an extremely attractive portfolio of prospects in the deepwater GoM. This inventory continues to grow and we have the rigs under contract to execute our program," added Hager.
5/9/2006
