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New Gulf Of Mexico Records « Thread Started on Dec 21, 2005, 11:28am »
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Recv'd: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 6:06 PM
Discoverer Spirit Sets Deep Drilling Records Transocean Inc., Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Transocean's 5th Generation drillship Discoverer Spirit Team recently set new records that include the deepest well drilled in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico at 34,189 feet MD (measured depth) for Chevron (Unocal).
The 34,189 feet was also a record for the deepest real-time LWD/MWD (logging while drilling/measuring while drilling).
Both were achieved on the client's Knotty Head well. Other partners in the Knotty Head joint venture include Anadarko Petroleum Company, BHP Billiton, and Nexen Petroleum USA, Inc., with each having a 25% interest in the prospect.
In addition, the team set a record for the longest 14-3/4 inch bit run at 11,545 feet and a total depth of 24,085 feet.
In setting the records, Discoverer Spirit crews tripped more than 4 million feet, or almost 775 miles, of drillpipe.
Launched in 2000 as the second Enterprise-class drillship that features Transocean's patented dual-activity process, the Discoverer Spirit has set past records right from the start. The team set a water-depth drilling world record at 9,727 feet of water in 2001 and completed the world's deepest subsea well in 7,209 feet of water, both in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
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Weatherford Helps Chevron/Unocal Set New World Record in the Gulf of Mexico Weatherford International, Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Weatherford International announced its success in working with Chevron/Unocal and its partners Nexen Inc., Anadarko Petroleum, and BHP Billiton Limited, to drill the deepest well ever in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. Minerals Management Service.
The record-setting 34,189 feet (or almost 6.5 miles) well on the Knotty Head prospect in Green Canyon Block 512 broke the previous record set earlier this year by Shell, also working with Weatherford, of 32,727 feet.
The job demonstrates that Weatherford can help operators go beyond traditional comfort zones and opens up new areas of opportunity across the globe.
Weatherford's Hostile-Environment-Logging (HEL ™) Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) and Logging-While-Drilling (LWD) equipment was used on the job. Both have already set a new benchmark for downhole operating temperature and are rated to an industry-best 30,000 psi operating pressure. MWD and LWD measures, respectively, wellbore position and formation properties operating in real-time while the well is being drilled.
In addition to setting a new depth record, the HEL equipment also transmitted real-time and recorded triple-combo log data in extremely hostile well conditions - in excess of 29,000 psi and 138 degrees Celsius. These were the same sophisticated electronic logging and well steering tools Shell used in setting the previous record.
"The directional and formation evaluation capabilities gained from the Precision acquisition fulfill a critical industry need for complex reservoir development technologies in deep drilling applications," said Bernard J. Duroc-Danner, Weatherford's Chairman and CEO.
"This equipment demonstrates a significant step-change in industry capability that can enable production from previously unreachable reserves using existing infrastructure not only in the Gulf of Mexico but also across ultra-deep hydrocarbon resources around the world."
The equipment used on the Knotty Head prospect are part of Weatherford's comprehensive suite of well placement services that help operators reach drilling targets and evaluate formations in a variety of operating environments and well conditions.
Chevron Announces Discovery In The Deepest Well Drilled In U.S. Gulf Of Mexico 12/20/2005
San Ramon, CA - Chevron Corporation announced a significant new deepwater oil discovery, and the deepest well ever drilled in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, at the Knotty Head Prospect located in Green Canyon block 512. The block is approximately 170 miles southeast of New Orleans.
The Knotty Head No. 1 discovery well is in approximately 3,500 feet of water and was drilled to a total depth of 34,189 feet (measured depth). The well encountered approximately 600 feet of net pay oil sand. Further drilling is planned to determine the extent of the discovery.
"This is another great addition to Chevron's deepwater discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico," said Ray Wilcox, Chevron's North America Exploration and Production Company president. "Chevron's deepwater technology is allowing us to continue to strengthen our presence in this key producing area."
Paul Siegele, vice president of Chevron's Gulf of Mexico Deepwater business unit said, "We are very pleased with the results of this well. It is the deepest well announced to date in the Gulf of Mexico."
Earlier this year it was announced that the well had encountered more than 300 feet of apparent hydrocarbon pay based on measured-while-drilling logs. At that time, the well was at a depth of 29,670 feet.
Chevron owns a 25 percent interest in Green Canyon block 512. Other owners include Nexen Petroleum Offshore U.S.A. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nexen Inc., (25 percent), Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (25 percent), and BHP Billiton (25 percent). Nexen Petroleum Offshore U.S.A. Inc. is the operator.
Chevron is the largest overall leaseholder in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and one of the world's leading energy companies. With more than 53,000 employees, Chevron subsidiaries conduct business in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing, and distributing fuels and other energy products. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif.
Deep gulf well is an oil strike, Nexen says By OGJ editors HOUSTON, Dec. 21
The deepest well drilled so far in the Gulf of Mexico is an oil discovery, says Nexen Inc., the block operator.
The first well on the Knotty Head prospect on Green Canyon Block 512 indicated 600 ft of net oil pay in multiple zones, Nexen said.
Fluid samples, conventional cores, and sidewall cores were taken in the productive intervals. Analysis indicates high quality crude oil in good quality reservoir sands, Nexen said.
The well, in 3,557 ft of water, reached 34,189 ft MD, the longest penetration to date in the gulf (OGJ Online, Dec. 16, 2005).
The TransOcean Discoverer Spirit drillship began drilling the Knotty Head well in March and will drill a sidetrack appraisal well.
Additional appraisal drilling is planned in 2006 to determine the extent of the discovery.
Nexen, Anadarko Petroleum Corp., BHP Billiton Ltd., and Chevron Corp. each holds a 25% working interest in the block.
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