El Paso Energy to install deepwater platform

May 3, 2000
El Paso Energy Partners LP, Houston, said Wednesday that it will install a multipurpose tension-leg platform on Ewing Bank Block 958 in the Gulf of Mexico. The Moses TLP, for the Prince development, will be installed in 1,500 ft of water, about 110 miles off Louisiana, and will be capable of handling up to 50,000 b/d of oil and 80 MMcfd of natural gas.


El Paso Energy Partners LP, Houston, said Wednesday that it will install a multipurpose tension-leg platform on Ewing Bank Block 958 in the Gulf of Mexico as part of an agreement with El Paso Energy Corp.

The Moses TLP, for the Prince oil and gas development, will be installed in 1,500 ft of water, about 110 miles off Louisiana, and will be capable of handling up to 50,000 b/d of oil and 80 MMcfd of natural gas. Modec International LLC will construct the platform, which is slated for delivery in April 2001. Alliance Engineering will engineer, design, and procure equipment for the topsides. The facilities will be supported by a 14,500-ton displacement hull and will be capable of producing and processing 50,000 b/d of oil and 80 MMcfd of gas.

First production from the Prince development expected in June 2001.

In November 1999, El Paso Energy Partners transferred its interest in Prince to El Paso Production under a farmout arrangement. El Paso then announced it would suspend design and engineering work on the platform pending results of additional drilling on the Prince prospect.

El Paso Production recently finished drilling the fourth successful delineation well on the block and will move forward with development. The well, drilled to 13,850 ft, encountered more than 200 ft of net hydrocarbon pay.

The project marks El Paso Production's first endeavor in the deepwater gulf, said El Paso Production President Jack Holmes.