Big Bend starts production in Gulf of Mexico

Noble Energy Inc., Houston, started production on Oct. 26 from its Big Bend oil development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (OGJ Online, Aug. 28, 2014).

Production from the single-well field is ramping up as expected and is anticipated to reach a maximum gross rate of 20,000 boe/d over the next few weeks, Noble says. About 90% of the volumes being produced are oil.

Noble says it continues to accelerate its Dantzler development and now expects production to start by early November.

Big Bend and Dantzler, respectively on Mississippi Canyon Blocks 698 and 782, are subsea tiebacks to the third-party Thunder Hawk production facility. The company last year signed a production handling agreement with SBM Offshore to produce Big Bend and Dantzler via the Thunder Hawk DeepDraft semisubmersible (OGJ Online, Sept. 18, 2014).

The fields are estimated to contribute a combined maximum net production rate of 20,000 boe/d to the company.

Noble operates Big Bend with 54% working interest. Other interest owners are W&T Energy VI LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of W&T Offshore Inc. with 20%; Red Willow Offshore LLC 15.4%; and Houston Energy Deepwater Ventures V LLC 10.6%.

The company operates Dantzler with 45% working interest. Partners include Ridgewood Energy Corp., including ILX Holdings II LLC, a portfolio company of Riverstone Holdings LLC with 35% working interest; and W&T Energy VI with 20% (OGJ Online, Sept. 30, 2013).