By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 28 – ExxonMobil Corp. said it has successfully drilled and tested the PTU-15 and PTU-16 development wells in Point Thomson Unit on Alaska’s North Slope ahead of the yearend 2010 target.
The two wells were directionally drilled from shore to a measured depth of more than 16,000 ft to the targeted gas-condensate reservoir more than 1.5 miles offshore beneath the Beaufort Sea.
The reservoir, 60 miles east of Prudhoe Bay, is abnormally pressured in excess of 10,000 psi and is estimated to hold about 25% of the North Slope’s discovered gas resource.
Concurrent with the drilling of the two development wells, activities are also focused on engineering and environmental permitting that are critical for project development. ExxonMobil said it has invested about $1.5 billion in Point Thomson, including more than $730 million in the last 2 years.
ExxonMobil said it continues “to work with the State of Alaska to resolve outstanding issues in order to maintain the pace and momentum of Point Thomson development. Point Thomson gas is critical to the success of an Alaska gas pipeline project.”