Samedan Oil Co.'s Ecuadorian subsidiary, Energy Development Corp., has begun drilling the Amistad 5 delineation well to test seismic anomalies in the Progreso formation in Amistad gas field off Ecuador. Amistad 5 will be drilled to 12,600 ft by the end of June, says Samedan, at which time production testing will begin. Another delineation well, Amistad 7, is also planned, at the opposite end of the structure. Amistad 6 and 8 will further delineate the field and will also serve to develop the structure.
Brown & Root Energy Services, a business unit of Halliburton Co., has installed the 91,000-tonne Malampaya concrete gravity sub-structure off Palawan Island in the Philippines. The CGS installation was achieved 3 months ahead of schedule. Shell Philippines Exploration BV operates the Malamapaya project, which is due onstream in October 2001. Texaco Inc. is also a partner in the project. The Camago-Malampaya field is estimated to contain 4 tcf of natural gas.
Chevron Corp. has awarded a contract to Houston-based Horizon Offshore Inc. to install two production platforms plus lay and bury multiple pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico. The project is scheduled for completion during third quarter 2000, said Horizon Offshore Tuesday. Horizon Offshore provides marine construction services to the offshore oil and gas industry.
Tidewater Inc., New Orleans, on Tuesday said it is purchasing the M/V Ace Navigator, a 275-ft supply vessel, from Sano Steamship Ltd., Tokyo, for $22.5 million. The deal is set to close in July. The Ace Navigator is a UT 745-design platform supply vessel capable of working in both harsh weather and deep water, says Tidewater. The vessel is rated at 9,600 bhp and has full dynamic positioning capabilities.