Production from the LLOG-operated Who Dat field in the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) fell by 12% during the third quarter, due to the impact of hurricanes Francine and Helene.
Two precautionary shut-ins and de-manning of personnel from the Who Dat floating production platform helped push output down to 30,543 boe/d, according to partner Karoon Energy.
Another factor was planned gas compression maintenance on the platform.
Currently the Who Dat South exploration well MC 545-1, spudded on Sept. 5, has reached 6,535 m MD and is drilling ahead in an 8½-inch hole. Again, progress has been delayed by the hurricane-related shut-ins.
On a more positive note, the partners have received the laboratory analysis of samples gathered from the successful Who Dat East exploration/appraisal well MC 509-1 (LLOG). They will incorporate the results into their geological and geophysical analysis of the discovery to firm up the volumes and the composition of the hydrocarbons.
Karoon added that it was monitoring legal and political developments affecting the US GoM, which include the recent Federal Court ruling in Maryland. This has set aside the biological opinion of the National Marine Fisheries Service that supports all oil and gas activity in the GoM, which has been widely appealed.
Offshore Brazil, the company continues studies for its Neon project in the S-M-1037 and S-M-1101 blocks in the Santos Basin.
One recent focus has been on reducing costs to improve the economics, particularly under a low reservoir outcome. Interpretation of reprocessed seismic data over the Neon and Neon West area is also progressing.
The likely next milestone will be Decision Gate 2 in first-quarter 2025 when Karoon will decide whether to take the project into the ‘Define’ (FEED) phase.
