--> Abstract: Drilling Ultra-Deep Gas Prospects on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf: Reservoir Characterization of Shallow Depleted Horizons Designe; #90063 (2007)

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Drilling Ultra-Deep Gas Prospects on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf: Reservoir Characterization of Shallow Depleted Horizons Designed to Reduce Exploration Drilling Risk

 

Horn, Brian W.1, David G. Derbecker1, Sophie Hildebrand1, Dean Chergotis1, Kevin Vorhaben1, Debbie Grove1 (1) BP, Houston, TX

 

Recent exploration focus on ultra-deep gas reservoirs has created several new challenges in the pursuit of ‘giant' gas fields in offshore Gulf of Mexico Shelf. This sector zero play appears to have significant prospectivity in structures that often are beneath producing fields. The Antietam prospect represents a top tier exploration opportunity in this new deep gas exploration play and is one of several large inversion structures that exhibit a thickened or ‘ponded' geometry. It underlies the West Delta 27 Field that has produced over 2.6 Tcf and 48 MMBO from multiple horizons of Upper Miocene strata since the discovery in the 1960's.

 

The presence of shallow (14,000-17,000 ft) depleted reservoirs presents a significant risk in drilling ultra high temperature and pressure wells to depths of 30,000 feet. Production data from the field demonstrates that multiple horizons are depleted with pressures less than 1000 psi. The presence of these depleted zones requires a detailed reservoir characterization study integrating original well data with recent 3D seismic to create a present-day (4D) evaluation of the field. Integration of these data from the overlying field (top-down analysis) is coupled with exploration bottom hole location requirements (bottoms-up analysis) to increase the successful execution of drilling a frontier exploration well.

 

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90063©2007 AAPG Annual Convention, Long Beach, California