Coflexip Stena Offshore Group said its newbuild ultradeepwater pipelay and subsea construction vessel, the CSO Deep Blue, has completed sea trials. Deep Blue was launched last summer (OGJ, Nov. 13, 2000, p. 63). The vessel is en route to the Netherlands from Hyundai Mipo dockyards in Ulsan, South Korea. In the Netherlands, pipelay systems will be installed. The Deep Blue will begin work on the Boomvang and Nansen field developments in the Gulf of Mexico this summer.
BP has awarded Brøvig ASA a letter of intent related to a fourth-quarter extended well test in Devenick field in the UK sector of the North Sea. Brøvig would provide a shuttle tanker and export facility. The contract would be worth �1 million.
Kellogg Brown & Root, a business unit of Halliburton Co., the contractor for the Malampaya platform, said SembCorp Engineering International Pte. Ltd. has completed construction of the topsides for the Malampaya project off the Philippines. The topsides was headed to a point off Palawan Thursday. Shell Philippines Exploration BV expects the project on stream this year.
Sperry-Sun Drilling Services, an affiliate of Halliburton Energy Services Inc., completed the installation of what it says is the first isolated tieback system (ITBS). The system was installed in Norsk Hydro AS's Y-22 well in Troll Olje field. The ITBS, said Sperry-Sun, created a level 5 multilateral well.
Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. said a second well was tied-in to the Q4-A production facility in the Dutch North Sea. The field was brought on stream earlier this year from a refurbished platform (OGJ Online, Jan. 12, 2001). Q4-A2 well began production Feb. 21 at initial rates of 23 MMcfd of gas, unstimulated. The well brings the field's production to 67 MMcfd, said Gulf Canada. The company, through wholly owned subsidiary Clyde Petroleum Exploratie BV operates the block with 29.85%. Other partners are CLAM Petroleum BV, Dyas BV, and EBN BV.
Algerian oil and gas company Sonatrach has selected a Japanese joint venture of JGC Corp. and Itochu Corp. for a $372 million contract to correct a fall in pressure in the Hassi R'mel gas field in Algeria. The project includes construction of three gas compression stations, the drilling of 59 producer wells, and the extension of a gathering network. Work will be completed within 3 years.
Statoil is carrying out tests in Heidrun field in the Norwegian North Sea to determine if it is possible to reinject produced water underground. The production wells on the field need pressure support, and produced water is an alternative to seawater for injection purposes. Statoil said the plan eliminates harmful discharge of produced water, and reduces the amount of scaling compared to salt water, reducing the need for well treatment.
Transocean Sedco Forex Inc., Houston, and Marathon Oil Co. have agreed to amend the contract for the ultradeepwater semisubmersible Cajun Express. Changes include an extension of the required delivery date to June 30 from Mar. 31 and halving the term of the contract to 18 months. The Cajun Express is undergoing sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico.
