Drilling/Production news briefs, June 20

Esso Production Malaysia Inc. has awarded Smedvig AS a $25 million contract to use its newbuild semitender rig West Alliance. The $83 million vessel, under construction at Keppel FELS shipyard in Singapore, will start the 1-year assignment in October.

Ramco Energy PLC, Aberdeen, has awarded a contract to Pride Foramer SAS to use the Pride North Sea rig to drill in Seven Heads accumulation off Ireland. The rig will drill one firm and one optional well this summer on Block 48/24.

Husky Energy Inc. Friday had a sweet gas well blowout at its Ferrier site, 50 km northeast of Ram River, Alta. Six contract workers suffered minor injuries. The volume of gas being released was estimated at 500,000 cfd. There is no risk to the public, said Husky.

Berry Petroleum Co. refired two cogeneration facilities at the Midway-Sunset heavy oil properties in California, totaling 56 Mw. Berry has begun injecting 20,000 b/d of steam into the fields. The 42-Mw facility in Los Angeles County remains shut down. Berry said it is suing Southern California Edison to honor the terms of its contract.

CNOOC Ltd., an affiliate of China National Offshore Oil Corp., said the floating production, storage, and offloading vessel Nanhai Endeavour was launched from Dalian New Shipyard June 28. The FPSO will develop the Wenchang 13-1 and 13-2 oil fields in Yangjiang 31 and 32 blocks in the western South China Sea, 136 km east of Hainan Island.

Woodside Energy Ltd. said the first cargo of crude oil from the Legendre venture has been sold to Shell International Eastern Trading Co. The 630,000 bbl cargo was destined for refineries in eastern Australia. Production from the Ocean Legend offshore facility was 20,000-25,000 b/d.

Syncrude Canada Ltd. has awarded a 15-year, $150 million contract to Marsulex Inc., Lebanon, Pa., to use its proprietary ammonium sulfate scrubber technology at the Mildred Lake oil sands facility in Alberta. Marsulex will provide technology and services, and will own and operate a portion of the environmental compliance facilities at the site. The contract also provides for three 5-year extensions.

Empire Petroleum Corp., Tulsa, has awarded Command Drilling Corp., Calgary, a 2-year contract to supply drilling services in Wyoming. Americomm Resources Corp., Tulsa, acquired Empire in early June (OGJ Online, June 1, 2001).

Angola Drilling Co. Ltd., on behalf of Sonangol Pesquisa E Producao SARL, has awarded Oceaneering International Services Ltd. a 7-year contract to use the floating production, storage, and offloading vessel Ocean Producer for the Canuku development on Block 3 off Angola. The contract was announced earlier this year (OGJ Online, Mar. 27, 2001). First oil is expected in the third quarter. ADC will drill three production and one water injection wells.