Exxon has blown away previous production test records for gaswells in the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Alabama. The companyannounced yesterday that it tested a well in Mobile Bay about 2.5miles offshore south of Dauphin Island at 126 MMcf/d. The previousrecord in Alabama state waters was 91 MMcf/d. The well also testedat a higher open flow rate than any well in the federal OuterContinental Shelf area of the Gulf. The OCS record was 113 MMcf/d.

The record Exxon well was drilled earlier this year in 40 feetof water and to a depth of 21,849 feet. Exxon spokesman Bob Davissaid the well will add substantially to Exxon’s Mobile Bayproduction total of 144 Bcf in 1998. About 110 MMcf/d of gascurrently is being produced from the development well and isflowing into Koch Gateway, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line andFlorida Gas Transmission from Exxon’s Mobile Bay processing plant.

Exxon produced 841 MMcf/d of gas in the Gulf of Mexico last yearand 2.1 Bcf/d in the entire U.S.

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