SPAR MOORING

Devils Tower Gas Field, Gulf of Mexico, USA

In June 2001, the development of the Devils Tower field in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico was formally sanctioned.

LOCATION

The Devil's Tower field is located about 140 miles south-east of New Orleans, at Mississippi Canyon (MC) Block 773 in 5,610ft of water.

EQUITY

Dominion operates the field with a 75% working interest. Pioneer holds the remaining 25% interest.

DRILLING

The discovery of the Devils Tower field was announced in February 2000, with the drilling of the well Mississippi Canyon 773 no 2. In June 2000, well no 3 was drilled, using the semisubmersible Homer Ferrington, in 5,610ft of water. The well encountered hydrocarbons in three zones, in a separate fault block north-east of the discovery well.

Two development wells were then completed with the MC 773 no 4 well, penetrating approximately 350ft of net pay in five sands within a previously untested fault block. The MC 773 no 5 and no 5 sidetrack extended the hydrocarbon column in six previously penetrated sands and contained over 400ft of net pay. Both wells will be temporarily abandoned and completed as producers.

OIL RESERVES

The field reserves are in the range of 50-75 million barrels of oil equivalent.

OIL PRODUCTION

The field will be developed using a spar with slots for eight dry-tree wells and the flexibility to accommodate future subsea tie-backs. In 5,610ft of water, this spar will be the world's deepest dry-tree platform. It will also use a 94ft-diameter truss configuration and will have the flexibility to accommodate future subsea tiebacks. The spar will be able to produce up to 60,000 barrels of oil per day.

The J Ray McDermott affiliate SparTEC will act as general contractor and overall project manager for the design engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation and commissioning of the facilty. Detailed engineering of the hull-mooring and topsides will be completed in Houston.

The hull will be fabricated at the company's Batam Island facility in Indonesia, while the topsides will be prefabricated in Mexico at the company's TNG shipyard, then assembled and outfitted at McDermott's Harbor Island fabrication yard, based near Corpus Christi, Texas. Work at Harbor Island will be completed under a strategic alliance with Bay Limited.

McDermott's Mentor Subsea Technology Services subsidiary will design and procure risers, while the company's marine division has been mandated responsibility for offshore installation, hookup and commissioning.

 

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