BP OUTLINES GULF DEEPWATER DEVELOPMENT

March 19, 1990
BP Exploration Western Hemisphere plans to use a four leg jacket instead of an eight leg jacket to develop Mississippi Canyon Block 109 in the ultradeepwater portion of the Gulf of Mexico. It will be the first conventional four leg jacket in more than 1,000 ft of water. "Mississippi Canyon 109 uses fewer, but larger diameter, heavier walled members," said Bill Sears, BP vice-president and offshore general manager. "This increases each member's efficiency and reduces the number of pieces

BP Exploration Western Hemisphere plans to use a four leg jacket instead of an eight leg jacket to develop Mississippi Canyon Block 109 in the ultradeepwater portion of the Gulf of Mexico.

It will be the first conventional four leg jacket in more than 1,000 ft of water.

"Mississippi Canyon 109 uses fewer, but larger diameter, heavier walled members," said Bill Sears, BP vice-president and offshore general manager. "This increases each member's efficiency and reduces the number of pieces that must be assembled to make up the jacket."

The jacket, which will stand 1,060 ft tall in 1,032 ft of water, will be the second tallest in the world. The tallest is Shell Offshore Inc.'s Bullwinkle, which stands 1,365 ft in 1,353 ft of water.

The Bullwinkle jacket, which has eight legs, weighs 49,375 tons.

By contrast, BP's Mississippi Canyon 109 jacket will weigh 21,500 tons.

Total weight of the Mississippi Canyon 109 platform, including jacket, deck, and facilities, will be slightly more than 34,000 tons.

WHAT BP PLANS

Installation of the Mississippi Canyon 109 jacket is scheduled for July 1991, with production expected to begin in first quarter 1992.

The platform will hold a single drilling rig. The field will produce from two primary horizons between 6,000 ft and 7,500 ft and three secondary reservoirs.

The platform will accommodate 35 well slots. Peak production is estimated at 20,000 b/d of oil and 20 MMcfd of gas.

Capacities of the topside facilities will be 22,000 b/d of oil, 30 MMcfd of gas, 7 MMcfd gas lift, and 22,000 b/d water injection.

Deck lift weight will be 3,300 tons.

Total cost of the development project is $250 million, including platform fabrication and development drilling.

BP let contract to Gulf Marine Fabricators for fabrication of the jacket (OGJ, Mar. 12, p. 24). The jacket was designed by Hudson Engineering and the deck by Mustang Engineering, both of Houston.

Copyright 1990 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.