Exploration/Development news briefs, May 31

Hunt Oil ... Single Buoy Moorings ... Wellstream ... Shell Petroleum Development Co. of Nigeria ... Petroleum Geo-Services ... Occidental Exploration & Production ... Grant Geophysical ... Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production ... Infinity ... Esso Exploration Angola ... and more

May 31, 2001

2 min read

The Republic of Togo has awarded an affiliate of Hunt Oil Co., Dallas, Tex., a production-sharing contract for the country's entire offshore area. The agreement is subject to ministerial approval. The area covers 4,067 sq km. It is near Nigeria, between Ghana and Benin.

Single Buoy Moorings Inc., Marly, Switzerland, has awarded Halliburton Co. unit Wellstream a contract to supply one 8-in. and three 16-in. internal diameter dynamic topside jumpers to connect a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel and soft yoke mooring platform, both on Shell Petroleum Development Co. of Nigeria Ltd.'s EA field off Nigeria. The jumpers will be delivered in June 2002.

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA, Oslo, said a UK North Sea survey over the Flotta Catchment Area has broken a record for the largest single source contract streamer survey. The Ramform Victory is deploying 16 streamers of 4,500 m each, for a total of 72 km of streamers. The previous record was 12 streamers, said PGS.

Occidental Exploration & Production Co. has awarded Grant Geophysical Inc. a contract to collect 750 sq km of 3D seismic data in the Oriente basin of Ecuador. The project will take 9 months.

Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production Co. Ltd. said exploration well Bonga Southwest, in 1,245 m of water off Nigeria, was drilled to 4,160 m TD. Shell did not release details, but said the well could have found enough reserves for another deepwater development on OML 118. Bonga, in the same block, expects first oil by end 2003.

The US Bureau of Land Management has approved Infinity Inc.'s application for drilling permits at its LaBarge coalbed methane project in the Green River basin of Wyoming, said Infinity.

ExxonMobil Corp. affiliate Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Ltd. has made a 12th find on Angola Block 15 in 3,790 ft of water. Mavacola-1 found an oil-bearing reservoir that flowed at 3,280 b/d. It is 191 miles northwest of Luanda. Operator Esso owns 40% of the block; BP Exploration (Angola) Ltd. 26.67%; Agip Angola Exploration BV 20%; and Statoil AS 13.33%.