Offshore staff
HOUSTON -- VetcoGray, a GE Oil & Gas business, is supplying its latest MS-700 system deepwater technology for the deepwater BC-10 project (recently named Parque das Conchas) in Brazil's Campos basin.
The contract with Shell Group Companies includes the supply of 12 MS-700 slimbore subsea wellhead systems and seven 42-in. (106.7-cm) liners, with delivery beginning in July 2007. Once installed, the MS-700 slimbore wellhead systems will enable Shell to drill and complete wells in conjunction with their reduced bore riser and a surface blowout preventer (BOP), according to VetcoGray.
The design of the MS-700 slimbore subsea wellhead system uses all metal-to-metal sealing technology. In deepwater applications, the MS-700 slimbore subsea wellhead system provides increased flexibility to complete and workover subsea wells using slender intervention riser systems and smaller less expensive vessels.
"We're pleased that Shell has selected VetcoGray's new generation technology for the technically challenging environment of the BC-10 project," says Terry Scanlon, VetcoGray's vice president of sales and marketing for the Western region. "We view this as a significant step as part of our global commitment to our partnership with Shell."
The project will mark Shell's first use of a surface BOP system for deepwater in field development.
The BC-10 block includes the Ostra, Abalone, Nautilus, and Argonauta fields in the Campos basin about 120 km (75 mi) offshore in water depths ranging from 1,650 to 1,930 m (5,413-6,332 ft).
Shell has a 50% operating stake in the BC-10 block, which was declared commercial in December of 2005. Other Partners in the venture include Petrobras with 35% interest and ONGC with 15% interest.
6/20/2007
