Providence reports on GoM production

Offshore staff

DUBLIN -- Providence Resources reports that its developments in the Gulf of Mexico will reinstate lost production and increase the company's overall production by an estimated 900 boe/d by mid-third quarter.

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike seriously impacted production in the area, including Providence's production from the Ship Shoal 253 and High Island A-268 producing fields. The hurricanes also delayed the start-up of the new Galveston A-155 gas field by around six months. The cumulative impact from this lost/deferred production is estimated at approximately 500 boe/d net to Providence.

Installation of the production platform at Galveston A-155 was performed in January and the wellbore completion was carried out during April using the jackupHercules 350. A production flowline will be laid in May to connect the platform to the gas export infrastructure, with first gas production expected in the third quarter at rates of up to 200 boe/d net to Providence.

At Ship Shoal 253, all major remedial works on the topsides production facilities and platforms have been completed with some remaining subsea pipeline work still to be finalized, the company says. Repairs to third-party export pipelines have taken longer than planned and it is expected that production will restart in mid-third quarter at a rate of 250 boe/d net to Providence.

At High Island A-268, production re-started earlier this year following the re-instatement of the main third-party gas export line that was damaged. Plans are now being finalized to hook-up the HI A-268 wells (currently producing 30 boe/d) to a compressor during second quarter to further maximize the field's production rate and reserves potential. In addition to the current producing zones, there are also gas-bearing zones behind pipe in each of the wells, which will be accessed once the current producing zones have been fully depleted.

At Vermillion 60, a significant recompletion program has been agreed for the second quarter to produce from a new zone that should see Providence's net production increase from 25 boe/d to some 300 boe/d. This work is expected to take place within the next six weeks, the company says.

At Main Pass 19, a work-over was performed on a well in the field during the first quarter to allow the well to produce at higher oil rates. Gross oil production from the well increased from a production rate of 5 b/d of oil to an initial stabilized rate of 140 b/d of oil.

04/21/2009