New York-based Hess Corp. has completed sidetracking its Pony discovery in Green Canyon Block 468, which established a record for the deepest conventional core ever recovered in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Results to date in its 100%-owned discovery have been consistent with pre-drill expectations, and total hydrocarbon resource on the Hess acreage is estimated to be in the range of 100-600 MMboe. The sidetrack well, drilled approximately 2,700 feet northeast of the discovery well to a depth of 30,634 feet, encountered 280 feet of oil-saturated sandstone in Miocene age reservoirs after penetrating 60% of its geological objective. Drilling of the sidetrack well was stopped for mechanical reasons after successfully recovering 450 feet of conventional core. Casing has been set across the oil bearing interval to allow for future production. Hess said the oil bearing section in the sidetrack well is similar in thickness and quality to the equivalent interval in the discovery well, which was drilled to 32,448 feet and encountered 475 feet of oil saturated sandstone. The company will next drill an appraisal well with the Ocean Baroness rig at the Pony No. 2 location, about 7,400 feet northwest of the discovery well.
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Articles from Block
Opponents Go to Court Again to Stop Weaver’s Cove LNG
The embattled Weaver’s Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal project became the target Friday of another legal maneuver to block the construction of the proposed facility in Fall River, MA.
LA Governor Files Complaint to Block August Lease Sale
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco filed a complaint in federal court Thursday seeking to block oil and natural gas Lease Sale 200 off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana that is scheduled for Aug. 16. The legal action came only days after Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) said it would proceed with the sale as scheduled, despite Blanco’s objections.
LA Governor Files Complaint to Block August Lease Sale
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco filed a complaint in federal court last Thursday seeking to block oil and natural gas Lease Sale 200 off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana that is scheduled for Aug. 16. The legal action came only days after Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) said it would proceed with the sale as scheduled, despite Blanco’s objections.
Kerr-McGee Announces Gas Discovery in Deepwater GOM
Kerr-McGee late Monday announced a natural gas discovery in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The No. 1 well, located in Atwater Valley Block 140 in the Claymore prospect, drilled to a total depth of 25,000 feet and encountered more than 150 feet of net pay in multiple zones.
Weaver’s Cove LNG Plans Smaller Vessels to Get Around Legal Barrier
Sponsors of the Weaver’s Cove LNG project say the tactic used last summer by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) to block their project was creative but won’t prevent them from building the LNG import terminal on the Taunton River.
Chevron, Anadarko Tout Big Foot Deepwater Gulf Discovery
Chevron Corp. and Anadarko Petroleum announced a new deepwater discovery at their Big Foot prospect in Walker Ridge Block 29 about 225 miles south of New Orleans. The companies expect that the oil discovery also will provide associated natural gas production but no commercial estimates have been made available yet.
NGI The Weekly Gas Market Report
Duke to Sell 6,200 MW of Generation Outside Midwest, DENA Trading Book
Duke Energy officials said last week that 6,200 MW, or about 63% of the company’s remaining merchant generation, will go on the auction block and will be sold separately from Duke Energy North America’s (DENA) energy trading book. CEO Paul Anderson said the company intends to focus only on the Midwest merchant energy market and the sale of these assets will better prepare Duke for its $9 billion merger with Cinergy.
Transportation Notes
Columbia Gulf reported discovering a leak on its 20-inch line upstream of the Eugene Island 250 platform in the Block 264 area. It said Eugene Island 331B, 314B, 314C, 314A and 271, where Columbia Gulf and Tennessee both have meters, and Eugene Island 294A, 338A, 315A and 316A, where Tennessee has the sole meter, will be required to shut in once repairs begin. No timetable for the repair startup had been set as of Friday afternoon, a spokesman said.
NGI The Weekly Gas Market Report
Transportation Bill Erects Road Block for Weaver’s Cove LNG; Opponents File for Rehearing
About seven lines of text added by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) to the recently enacted Transportation Equity Act erects a major road block in front of the proposed Weaver’s Cove LNG import terminal in Fall River, MA. The new law makes it illegal for the Brightman Street Bridge, connecting Fall River and Somerset, MA, to be demolished to allow LNG cargo traffic up the Taunton River to the terminal.
