By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Apr. 19 -- Oil production from the US Gulf of Mexico in 2000 set a record, but gas production declined for the third straight year, said the US Minerals Management Service.
MMS Regional Director Chris Oynes said, "The phenomenal rise in oil production from the Gulf of Mexico has continued although the rise has slowed a bit in 2000." Oynes attributed the oil production boost to deepwater production (greater than 1,000 ft).
He said an estimated 522 million bbl of oil was produced in calendar year 2000, up about 5.5% over the 495 million bbl in 1999. Of that figure, 271 million bbl was produced from fields in more than 1,000 ft of water, an increase of 20% over last year.
However, he said, "Natural gas production in the Gulf continued its decline for the third straight year to a level of an estimated 4.88 tcf in 2000, a decline of 3.4% since 1999. Shallow water gas production [about 3.90 tcf in 2000] continued its steep decline. It was 7.4% lower in 2000 than 1999, and has declined 18.8% since 1996."