Page 19: of Marine Technology Magazine (April 2006)
The Offshore Technology Edition
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Nine deepwater oil and gas discoveries were announced in the Gulf of Mexico during 2005. "The deepwater dis- coveries to date represent a strong continuing success story in the Gulf of Mexico," stated Chris Oynes,
Minerals Management Service (MMS) Regional Director for the Gulf of Mexico. "Discoveries like BP's Stones rep- resent a continuing favorable development in the new
Paleogene play in the Walker Ridge area." Compared with the seven drilling rigs in the same period one year ago, there are nine rigs drilling in 5,000 feet of water or greater - the ultra deepwater zone. In addition, a new drilling record in the Gulf of Mexico - 34,189 feet - was reached at the Knotty Head prospect. The announced deepwater discoveries in 2005 demonstrate that active exploration in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico will continue to help
America meet its energy needs. (Source: U.S. MMS,
Ocean Science, January/February 2006)
GOM Lease Sales Up 38%
Near record oil and gas prices led to robust bidding in an offshore federal lease sale. The Central Gulf of Mexico
Lease Sale 198, garnered $588,309,791 in high bids from 82 companies for oil and natural gas leases in the Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The total of all bids was $978,310,887, a 38 percent increase over last year's
Central Gulf Sale. The sale, held March 15, 2006, in New
Orleans, was conducted by the Minerals Management
Service. In Sale 198 the agency received 707 bids on 405 tracts. In this sale, 4,040 blocks comprising approximate- ly 21.3 million acres offshore Alabama, Louisiana, and
Mississippi were offered. While interest in deep water production continues, the large number of tracts receiv- ing bids in shallow water is of particular note, indicating industry interest in deep gas in shallow waters, as well as deep water oil and gas production.Amerada Hess
Corporation submitted the highest bid on Green Canyon Block 287 for $42,789,994. Newfield Exploration
Company and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation submitted the second highest bid on Green Canyon Block 551 for $33,989,760. Each of the high bids on a block will go through an evaluation process to ensure the public receives fair market value before a lease is awarded. www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 19
Top Five Companies by Number of High Bids
Company Total High Bids Sum of High Bids
BP Exploration & Production Inc. 73 $22,276,118
BHP Billiton Petroleum Inc. 26 $7,661,284
Hunt Oil Company 23 $10,943,280
Dominion Exploration & Production Inc. 16 $41,417,099
Hydro Gulf of Mexico, L.L.C. 14 $20,117, 740
Top Five Companies by Amount of High Bids
Company Total High Bids Sum of High Bids
Amerada Hess Corporation 13 $62,593,922
Woodside Energy (USA) Inc. 12 $47,162,990
Dominion Exploration & Production Inc. 16 $41,417,099
Newfield Exploration Company 6 $32, 208,909
Samson Offshore Company 10 $27,109,326
Gulf of Mexico Region Deepwater Discoveries
The Holstein oil and gas development is located approximately 150 miles south of
New Orleans. The field is being devel- oped using a
Production Drilling and
Quarters (PDQ) truss spar, permanently moored in 4,350 feet of water. (Photo courtesy of BP
Exploration & Production) 2005 Announced Deepwater Discoveries, Gulf of Mexico
Prospect Operator Area/Block Number Water Depth (ft)
Stones BP Walker Ridge 508 9,576
Jubilee Extension Anadarko Lloyd Ridge 309 8,774
Mondo NW Extension Anadarko Lloyd Ridge 1 8,340
Q Spinnaker Mississippi Canyon 961 7,925
Big Foot Chevron Walker Ridge 29 5,286
Genghis Khan Anadarko Green Canyon 652 4,300
Wrigley Newfield Mississippi Canyon 506 3,700
Knotty Head Chevron/Unocal Green Canyon 512 3,557
Clipper Pioneer Green Canyon 299 3,452
Anduin Nexen Mississippi Canyon 755 2,400
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