Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Shallow Hazards Studies Best Practices
Abstract
ConocoPhillips (hConoco) has been involved in deepwater exploration in the Gulf of Mexico for the last 5 years using a dynamically positioned (DP) drillship. As part of the Federal (MMS) and State permitting process for deepwater exploration, ConocoPhillips (COPC) actively undertakes in securing seabed and shallow subsurface hazard surveys and analyses for every potential drillsite. COPC conducts seabed and shallow subsurface hazards surveys for at least two main reasons: To be a safe, efficient operator, seabed and shallow subsurface hazard surveys and analyses are necessary steps of the Exploration Work Flow to help ensure a safe well, and to fulfill MMS (or local government) regulatory requirements The purpose of shallow geohazards studies is to determine seafloor and sub-bottom conditions, inspect for possible chemosynthetic communities, and to provide a shallow hazards assessment in accordance with NTL 2003-G17. During the five years of deepwater exploration COPC has contracted Fugro Geoservices to perform hazards studies in over 30 offshore blocks.
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Shallow Hazards Studies Best Practices The results of the seabed and shallow geohazards are a critical part of the construction of all of our well plans and are dynamically used in all MDT's. The results of the seabed and shallow geohazards investigations have greatly improved our drilling efficiency by predicting and avoiding possible chemosynthetic communities, sea floor faults, shallow gas, and shallow water flow. CoP's outstanding safety record and environmental stewardship with regards to geohazards has helped us in accelerating certain Exploration Plans (within MMS guidelines). These types of efforts has saved money and kept the drilling schedule running smoothly. In the last two years, the MMS has given COPC approval to use existing 3D spec seismic volumes for Shallow Hazards Assessment at several locations where applicable. This type of effort has saved ConocoPhillips hundreds of thousands of dollars that would have been spent in either acquiring 2D high resolution seismic data or reprocessing an existing 3D data volume. Examples from Selected Prospects: Magnolia (Garden Banks 783/784); Voss (Keathley Canyon 347/391/435); Lorien (Green Canyon 199); Yorick (Green Canyon 391/435)- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005AGUSMNS23B..16F
- Keywords:
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- 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings)