Success stories
ATP Oil & Gas Corp. celebrated first production from its Matagorda Island block 709 A-4 ST-1 well and its High Island block 74 No. 1 well. The operator completed the Matagorda Island block A-4 ST-1 well in 145 ft of water in an upper Miocene Marg A sand at 9,715 ft TVD. ATP also completed the High Island block 74 No. 1 well in 41 ft of water in Miocene Rob L sand at 8,760 ft TVD.
Eni also announced first production from the K2 oil field in Green Canyon block 562. The K2 field is in 1,200 m of water, at an average reservoir depth of 8,500 m, and has estimated reserves in excess of 100 MMboe.
The first well on production has an initial flow rate of 8,000 boe/d.
Two additional wells in the initial stage of field development are scheduled to be online by the end of 3Q 2005, and Eni estimates to achieve an equity peak production of approximately 6,000 boe/d. The subsea wells are tied back to the Marco Polo platform, 11 km away.
Petsec Energy has made a commercial gas discovery from three exploration wells at Main Pass block 19, 128 km southeast of New Orleans. The semisubmersibleNoble Lester Pettus drilled the wells. Petsec received development approval following results from its Main Pass block 19 No. 2 well.
The Minerals Management Service then awarded Petsec Energy the Main Pass block 18 and Main Pass block 103 leases, which Mobil previously held. These blocks have a combined 2.5 MMbbl and 100 bcf.
The leases are adjacent and to the north of Petsec Energy’s Main Pass block 19 lease. The acquisition of these two leases gives Petsec Energy three contiguous blocks and the opportunity for operational efficiencies in the Main Pass area.
The operator has acquired an existing platform and jacket, and a pipeline is close to the drilling location. It expects to bring Main Pass block 19 into production in early 4Q 2005.
BP's Atlantis semisubmersible platform, which weighs 31,000 tonnes, completed its 60-day journey from South Korea, around the Southern tip of Africa, and into the Gulf of Mexico atop the Dockwise heavy transport vessel Mighty Servant 1. Atlantis will be the deepest moored floating production facility in the world in 7,074 ft of water in Green Canyon block 787. It is designed to process 200,000 b/d and 180 MMcf/d. Photo courtesy Bob Redding.
The GoM saw more success recently with BP Exploration & Production Inc. encountering hydrocarbons while drilling the Stones prospect in 9,576 ft of water on Walker Ridge block 508.
Further drilling is necessary to determine the extent and the commerciality of the discovery. Transocean’sDeepwater Horizonsemisubmersible began drilling operations on Dec. 31, 2004, and reached its final depth of 28,560 ft TVD on March 10.
BP operates the prospect with 59% with partners Shell 26% and Marathon Oil Co. 15%.
Hurricane study
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season will be an active one. That’s what the experts say. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting between 12 and 15 tropical storms this hurricane season, which officially began June 1 and continues through Nov. 30. Seven to nine of those storms will become hurricanes, the agency said.
As a result of last season’s destructive hurricane, Ivan, the Minerals Management Service has awarded six contracts totaling over $600,000 for studies of the impact of Hurricane Ivan on the offshore oil and gas structures of the Gulf of Mexico. The MMS awarded projects competitively and through cooperative agreements with the Texas Engineering Experiment Station in support of the Offshore Technology Research Center.
Texas A&M University, Offshore Technology Research Center, will assess drilling and workover rig storm sea fastenings on offshore floating platforms during Hurricane Ivan. It will also study mudflows and mudslides during the hurricane.
William Lettis & Associates Inc. will study mudslides, conducting a pilot study for regionally consistent hazard susceptibility mapping of submarine mudslides.
Offshore Risk & Technology Consulting Inc. will examine and review MODU loss of station keeping ability during Hurricane Ivan and assess mooring standards and criteria to prevent similar failures.
Det Norske Veritas will assess pipeline damage from Hurricane Ivan in the GoM.
Energo Engineering Inc. will encompass more data and assess fixed offshore platform performance during three hurricanes, Ivan, Andrew, and Lili.
Lease sale results
The MMS has awarded 10 leases and received $6,595,753.40 from the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 197. The lease sale, held on March 16, attracted nine companies submitting bids on 12 of the 124 tracts offered. MMS accepted bids totaling $6,974,531 on the 12 tracts. However, one company declined its two awarded leases - De Soto Canyon block 448 and De Soto Canyon block 492. This action resulted in the forfeiture of the one-fifth bonus bid deposit for each lease - $49,651.20 and $45,043.20, respectively.
Each of the tracts received a single bid, and each is more than 100 mi off Alabama in water depths greater than 1,600 m.•
