November 1997 Vol. 218 No. 11  Offshore

Robert E. Snyder,  Editor

Offshore Florida progress, more newbuildings

The U.S. Minerals Management Service says it has begun the formal review process on Chevron U.S.A. Inc.’s Development Production Plan to develop gas 25 mi off Florida’s NW coast. The Destin Dome 56 Unit Plan of Development was submitted to MMS Nov. 19, 1 996. The detailed engineering/technical/environmental analysis could take up to two years, and include an envrionmental impact statement that can take a year to prepare. Several meetings were scheduled through October in Mississippi and Florida to allow public input.

In addition to MMS requirements, Chevron must obtain permits and approvals from other federal/state agencies. Further, MMS may not issue a permit unless Alabama, Mississippi and Florida “agree that the plan is consistent with the Coastal Zone Management Program.” Chevron’s plan covers 11 contiguous blocks in Destin Dome 56 Unit. Three wells have been drilled, indicating significant reserves. Two partners in the project are Murphy Exploration & Production Co. and Conoco, Inc.

Gulf of Mexico atlas update. Chicago-based Gas Research Institute (GRI) has retained Radian International LLC of Austin, Texas, to update the two-volume Atlas of Northern Gulf of Mexico Gas and Oil Reservoirs by publishing a supplement with the most recent deepwater drilling data. The supplement, to be published in late 1998, will include deepwater exploration activities from January 1995 to December 1996, a period of significant drilling activity.

The two-volume atlas features nearly 50 years of Gulf drilling and production data through December 1994. It includes vast amounts of state and federal data compiled into a single source by the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. Funding was provided by GRI, the U.S. Departments of Energy and Interior, and MMS. The atlas takes 9,947 oil/gas reservoirs from 1,212 fields, classifies them geologically, and sorts sands/fields into plays.

Volume I, published in June, is a 200-page portfolio that includes descriptions/cross sections of Miocene and older reservoirs. Volume II, scheduled for release late this year, covers younger, Plio-Pleistocene reservoirs, including deeper water plays. The atlas also has a data component on CD-ROM, that includes engineering attributes for the 9,947 reservoirs and 91 plays.

Volume I is available in print and on CD-ROM for $295. When released, Volume II will cost $195. Copies are available from the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, Tel: 512 471 1534, E-mail: pubsales@begv.beg.utexas.edu.

More new rigs. Deepwater activity continues to spur newbuildings and conversions. Global Marine reportedly has a provisional agreement to build two DP drillships at Harland and Wolff’s Belfast yard, Global is negotiating with “several” operators to work the rigs in the GOM or West Africa.

Also recently announced as newbuilds are Santa Fe’s new heavy duty jackups Galaxy II and III, at Keppel FELS’ Singapore yard, for delivery in late 1998 and 3rd quarter 1999, respectively. Reading & Bates has an agreement with Statoil for a work program for which the contractor will initiate its fourth newbuilding project in the last 10 months. The new drillship, similar to the Conoco/R&B vessels already announced, will be built at Samsung Heavy Industries in Korea.

Pride International’s Foramer subsidiary has preportedly contracted with a French yard to fabricate another Amethyst-class DP semi, adding to three previously announced Amethyst-class newbuilds. Unocal’s new U.S. company Spirit Energy 76, has a memo of understanding with Smedvig, which may see the SPU 550, Tentech 700, FPS being built at Japan’s Mitsui yard used for drilling in the GOM by late 1998.

And Diamond Offshore plans to convert the Polyconfidence semi accommodation vessel to a deepwater rig. BP Exploration intends to use the unit for a 5-yr drilling program in the GOM starting late 1999.

Correction. In World Oil’s August Deepwater Technology supplement, in the article “New trends in deepwater mooring,” Fig. 4 was supposed to present the concept of a vertical loaded anchor (VLA) using Vryhof Anchors’ Stevmanta VLA as an example. It would be pretty hard to figure out how this works from the screwed up image that was published. The accompanying figure hopefully does a better job, and we apologize for the confusion.

VLAs provide a practical method of installing an anchor that will resist uplifting forces such as those applied by taut-leg moorings in deep water. VLAs are installed as a normal embedment anchor. Once the anchor penetrates deeply, the load application angle increases and the anchor acts like a deeply embedded plate with potentially high pullout capability.

Copyright © 1999 World Oil
Copyright © 1999 Gulf Publishing Company