Offshore staff
HOUSTON -- Anadarko has firmed plans for its next drilling campaign in the Liberian basin offshore West Africa.
The company expects to mobilize theDiscoverer Spirit from the Gulf of Mexico after the drillship concludes completion activities on the third Caesar/Tonga well. Subject to a contract amendment with the rig owner, the rig could start drilling in West Africa this summer.
Anadarko’s program will include an appraisal well 7 mi (11 ¾ km) west of the Mercury discovery well in block SL-07B-10 offshore Sierra Leone, and an exploratory well on the Jupiter prospect on the same block. Anadarko has a 65% operating interest in the concession.
On block 15 offshore Liberia, Anadarko aims to drill the Montserrado exploration prospect (Anadarko 57.5%).
To the east, on block 10, the company recently acquired a 2,400-sq km (927 sq mi) 3D seismic survey. Processing should take six-nine months, following which Anadarko will have 3D data covering virtually all its acreage in the Liberian basin.
Al Walker, president and COO, said the company has identified more than 30 prospects on its acreage similar to the giant Jubilee field to the east off Ghana.
Looking at the Gulf of Mexico, Walker added: "We plan to keep theENSCO 8500 rig in the Gulf of Mexico to conduct an extended well test at Lucius and, once we receive drilling permits, we are confident that we will be able to utilize the ENSCO 8500 and contract a deepwater rig of opportunity to resume our development and exploration programs in the Gulf."
03/29/2011
