Curtis Williams
OGJ correspondent
PORT OF SPAIN, Jan. 4 -- ChevronTexaco Corp. and BG Group PLC plan to drill a well early this year on Trinidad and Tobago's Block 6D Manatee Prospect, thought to be a northern extension of Loran gas field in Venezuela.
Loran field, discovered by ChevronTexaco, lies on Block 2 in the Plataforma Deltana area on Venezuela's Atlantic continental shelf.
Several large gas fields straddle the maritime borders between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago (OGJ Online, Aug. 29, 2002).
BG, originally selected as operator of Loran field with ChevronTexaco as its partner, withdrew from the project when it became unclear whether the administration of Venzuelan President Hugo Chávez would allow the gas to be processed in Trinidad and Tobago. ChevronTexaco remained and made the Loran discovery, with ConocoPhillips its 40% partner (OGJ Online, Oct. 12, 2004).
In a release, BG and ChevronTexaco said, "For synergistic reasons, [ChevronTexaco] will operate the well [on the Manatee Prospect] on behalf of the partnership, using the same rig that is currently drilling on Loran. . .The main purpose is to confirm the presence of hydrocarbons."
The well will be drilled in 300 ft of water.
