Saipem's S7000 derrick barge used one of its two 7,700-ton capacity cranes to set the 3,850-ton south deck module on the Petronius compliant tower on Apr. 28, 2000. The new module replaced the original $70-million module that was dropped and lost while being lifted in December 1998.
Texaco Inc. is operator of the $500-million Petronius development in the Gulf of Mexico Viosca Knoll Block 786, about 130 miles southeast of New Orleans.
The Petronius compliant tower sits in 1,754 ft of water and rises to more than 2,000 ft above the seafloor, making it the world's tallest freestanding structure, according to Texaco.
The replacement module contains production equipment, waterflood equipment, and crew quarters. It was built in 12 months at Gulf Island Fabrication Inc.'s yard in Houma, La., compared with the 27 months required to build the original module.
The 3,876-ton north deck module, installed on the tower in December 1998, contains the wellbay, power, and compression equipment.
The Petronius facility has a maximum production throughput capacity of 60,000 bo/d and 100 MMcfd of gas. Texaco expects production to begin by October 2000.
The field, discovered in 1995, contains an estimated 80-100 million boe of recoverable reserves. Texaco holds a 50% working interest with Marathon Oil Co. holding the remaining working interest.