Construction of the deepest deepwater tension leg in the world is finished and installation of the platform rig will begin on the Marco Polo, a unique Gulf of Mexico floating production system, slated to go into operation in July. GulfTerra Energy Partners and Cal Dive International own the platform structure, and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. is the operator.

Marco Polo was designed to accommodate production from six development wells at a discovery at Green Canyon Block 608 (see Daily GPI, Dec. 5, 2001). The production system is set in 4,300 feet of water about 160 miles south of New Orleans.

With the deepwater tension leg complete, installation of the platform rig and the tiebacks is next. Oil and gas export pipelines then will be connected to the platform, and production can begin, said Anadarko. Production capacity is 120,000 bbl/d and 300 MMcf/d.

Weather delays “persisted beyond our estimates and caused us some delay in the start-up,” said Mark Pease, Anadarko’s vice president of U.S. onshore and offshore. Ramp-up had originally been scheduled in the first quarter (see Daily GPI, Sept. 4, 2002). “Everything that we could control during the project was on schedule and completed without a hitch. We’re looking forward to bringing the field online this summer.”

The plan calls for the oil production to be transported through a 34-mile, 14-inch pipeline. The system would use the Allegheny oil pipeline, where onshore markets would be accessed through the Poseidon Oil Pipeline System. A gas pipeline also is scheduled to connect to a point determined by Anadarko.

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