Maersk Oil is participating in a new deepwater well in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico after operator Chevron received a drilling permit from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE).
The permit marks the restart of the drilling campaigns Maersk Oil has been a part of in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico after deepwater activities were suspended last year as a consequence of the Deepwater Horizon accident.
“We are very pleased that this permit has been issued as it will allow us to move forward with appraisal activities on the exciting Buckskin prospect,” said Bruce Laws, President at Maersk Oil in the U.S.
“The U.S. Gulf of Mexico remains a world class region for exploration and production and we look forward to continuing our work there with our partners.”
The Buckskin appraisal well is located in the Keathley Canyon in Block 785, offshore Louisiana, at water depth of 6,540 feet. It is being drilled 8 kilometres from the discovery well that encountered oil in 2008.
Drilling began on 16th May, 2011 and the planned total depth is 29,400 feet. Drilling will last some 136 days.
Chevron is operator of Buckskin, holding a 55% interest with Maersk Oil (20%), Repsol (12.5%) and Samson (12.5%) as co-owners.
About Maersk Oil in the U.S.
Maersk Oil entered the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in 2006 and now holds almost 200 leases after various licencing rounds and acquisition deals. Maersk Oil has interest of some 20-30 percent in these licenses in various partner groups. Maersk Oil is involved as partner in the Jack Development, as well as the appraisal well at Buckskin and the Oceangrapher exploration well in 2011.
About Maersk Oil
Maersk Oil is an international oil and gas company with operated production of about 700,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day from fields in the Danish and UK North Sea, offshore Qatar and in Kazakhstan. Maersk Oil exploration activities are ongoing offshore UK, Denmark Norway, Angola, Brazil, the US Gulf of Mexico, Greenland and onshore Oman. Maersk Oil and its subsidiary companies are part of the Danish A.P. Moller – Maersk Group. Maersk Oil was established in 1962, when it was awarded a concession for oil and gas exploration and production in Denmark.
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Source:Maersk Oil , May 24, 2011; Image:Repsol