An Anadarko Petroleum Corp.-operated downdip sidetrack of the Heidelberg appraisal well in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico has confirmed oil pay, found an oil-water contact, and greatly increased the field’s known areal extent, said partner Eni SPA.
Since mid-February, the Anadarko group has drilled the GC 903-3ST1 sidetrack, which has now located the oil-water contact 700 ft deeper than the previous oil discovery well (OGJ Online, Feb. 20, 2012).
Heidelberg is in 5,260 ft of water 130 miles off Louisiana. The appraisal well is 1.3 miles from the discovery well on Green Canyon Block 903. The updip appraisal well went to 31,030 ft measured depth, and the downdip sidetrack went to 30,440 ft.
The group is evaluating well data to accelerate the overall sanctioning process for the project.
Anadarko has 44.25% interest in Heidelberg. Eni and Apache Corp. hold 12.5% each, and Cobalt International Energy LP and ExxonMobil Corp. have 9.375% each.
Eni owns lease interests in 305 blocks in the gulf, where it is among the leading producers with net production capacity of 90,000 b/d of oil equivalent, 60% operated.
Alan Petzet | Chief Editor Exploration
Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.
Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.