Page 38: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2007)

38 MTR January 2007

Ziff Energy Group (ZEG) launched the 6th edition of its Deepwater Reducing Field Operating Costs (RFOC) study, which will evaluate 2006 operating costs for more than two dozen Deepwater producing assets in the Gulf of Mexico. Participation will include nine Deepwater operators, who collectively account for more than 80 per- cent of the 1.36 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (MMBOE/d) produced in the Deepwater region of the

Gulf of Mexico.

ZEG's last deepwater study was conducted three years ago, assessing 2003 data. Many changes have occurred since then, including production from many new

Deepwater assets including eight new spars (Red Hawk,

Gunnison, Constitution, Holstein, Mad Dog, Devil's

Tower, Front Runner and Medusa), three new Tension

Leg Platforms (Magnolia, Matterhorn and Marco Polo), a semi-submersible production host for six oil and gas fields (Na Kika), and dozens of new subsea wells.

Offshore Brazil is another major Deepwater area, oper- ated primarily by Petrobras, and West Africa (Nigeria and

Angola) is an important emerging Deepwater region. The

U.S. Deepwater has both the broadest range of operating systems, and diversity of Deepwater operators, and there- fore is the leading 'incubator' for the worldwide

Deepwater industry.

The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater has continued to have new world class discoveries and significant new field developments, though fewer new assets came online in 2005 and 2006 compared to 2004. The pace of new field developments will continue for the next several years, with both Independents and Super-Majors making signif- icant contributions to the growth of Deepwater produc- tion and reserves.

Corresponding with the increase in the water depth of new developments, 2007 and 2008 will see first produc- tion from new semi-submersibles (BP's Thunder Horse and Atlantis projects, Anadarko's Independence Hub, and

Chevron's Blind Faith).

Deepwater Ops Study Launched for GOM

Gulf of Mexico Floating Production Assets to be Assessed in 6 th

Edition

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