Pioneer flying high in Falcon corridor

With four discoveries – one onstream and three under development – the 32-block Falcon corridor investment has paid off for field operator Pioneer Natural Resources Co.

Falcon, in the Gulf of Mexico, went onstream in March, and the company hopes to bring Harrier on in December and Raptor and Tomahawk on in mid 2004, said Deep Trend President Matthew Doan, who is consulting for Pioneer in the series of projects, during a Marine Technology Society luncheon in Houston. The success brings an unexpected problem to the newcomer in deepwater operations: The four-slot manifold was not quite enough to handle the anticipated flow.

"We didn't think we'd have this much success this early," he said.

Falcon, a 32-mi subsea tieback to Falcon Nest, produces about 195 MMcf/d, and the operator expects to begin compression on the field within the next six months, he said. Pioneer projects a four- to five-year lifespan for the Falcon field, on East Breaks 579 in 3,400 ft of water.

The El Paso-operated Falcon Nest platform is in 390 ft water depth at Mustang Island block 103.

Pioneer sanctioned the Harrier development earlier this year as a single-well, 47-mi subsea tie back to Falcon Nest. Harrier, on East Breaks block 759 in 3,600 ft of water, holds estimated gas reserves of 55 bcf-80 bcf.

Pioneer expects gas from Harrier, combined with production from Falcon, to reach 275 MMcf/d.

"It's a very aggressive project," he said.

The Harrier completion occurred in late August, Doan said. Umbilicals have been delivered and are set for installation in September. The pipeline should be installed by November to go onstream in December.

Due onstream next year, the Raptor and Tomahawk fields will feature short tie backs to Falcon Nest, which has a capacity of 400 MMcf/d.

"There are a number of other blocks that Pioneer plans on drilling," Doan said.

The Harrier and Tomahawk fields have a projected lifespan of up to three years, Doan said.

"These wells are not going to last very long, so we have to be very aggressive in our exploration program out there," he said.

Pioneer, which initially held 45% interest in the Falcon field, purchased additional interests to gain the operatorship of the field before completely buying out former partner Mariner Energy's interests in the field.

Falcon, Pioneer's first operated deepwater project, went onstream two years after the first well was spudded. Then-operator Mariner sanctioned the project in October 2001.