By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 10 -- A group led by ExxonMobil Corp. spudded one of the most-watched wells ever in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rowan Cos. Inc., Houston, spudded the well at 10 p.m. Feb. 9 in 70 ft of water on the West Blackbeard prospect in South Timbalier Block 168 using the Tarzan class Scooter Yeargain jack up (see map, OGJ, June 7, 2004, p. 40).
Drilling, possibly to more than 30,000 ft, may take a year, ExxonMobil said.
The working interests are ExxonMobil, operator 25%, Newfield Exploration Co. 23%, BP Exploration & Production Inc. 20%, Petrobras America Inc. 20%, Dominion Exploration & Production Inc. 7%, and BHP Billiton Petroleum (Deepwater) Inc. 5%.
West Blackbeard, part of a group of deep shelf prospects known as Treasure Island generated by Newfield and a predecessor, is thought to have potential for several trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas in Miocene and older sections.
