Amoco Production Co. last week disclosed a world record water depth flow test at a well in the Gulf of Mexico.
The company's 1 Sidetrack 2 Viosca Knoll 957 flowed at a stabilized rate of 22.5 MMcfd of gas and 2,670 b/d of condensate through a 46/64 in. choke with 2,800 psi average flowing tubing pressure during a 4 day test of pay at about 13,000 ft.
Drillsite, about 70 miles east of the Mississippi River Delta, is in 3,492 ft of water (see map, OGJ, Nov. 13,1989, p. 22).
At last count, the gulf held at least four potential discoveries in water deeper than 3,492 ft, but those wells were not flow tested. The previous water depth record for flow testing was 3,161 ft, disclosed in March 1988 by Texaco Inc. on Mississippi Canyon Block 285.
The Amoco well is the latest of 12 deepwater exploratory and delineation wells drilled from five surface locations by Amoco, Exxon Co. U.S.A., and Shell Offshore Inc. They are working interest owners in the Viosca Knoll 912 Unit, referred to as the Ram/Powell prospect.
Making up the unit are eight blocks, including Viosca Knoll Block 957. Covering about 46,000 acres, the unit lies in water depths of 2,0004,000 ft.
Dave Work, Amoco vice-president in Houston, said his company worked with Exxon for about 2 years to plan the deepwater flow test to provide information for use in planning field development.
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