Project Profile
Location: 322 km south of New Orleans, Green Canyon 643, 644, 645, 688
Peak production: 100,000 bopd and 90 MMcf/d (2.5 MMcm/d)
Production: 75,000 boe per day by 2020
Reserves: 250 mmboe
Water Depth: 1,311 m
The Holstein field is located 322 kilometres south of New Orleans in 4,300 feet of water (1,311 metres) on Green Canyon Block 645. Discovered and appraised in 1999 and sanctioned in 2001, Holstein\'s reservoir is located completely above a salt level. The field consists of stacked sheet sands varying in thickness from 5 to 46 metres separated by shale layers of similar thickness. The Ocean America semisubmersible drilled the Holstein discovery. A 3-D seismic program and a 4-D seismic baseline survey enhanced the recovery of available reserves, which helped the field to be developed in 42 months.
Field Development
Field development included production and water injection wells, a truss spar, two risers and two pipelines. The field is developed through 12 production wells and three water injection wells. An industry first, Holstein\'s high angle, open-hole gravel pack completions for production and injection wells; novel multi-zone well completions; and dynamic formation testing and surveillance improved the production and recovery of the Holstein field. The Holstein development consists of a truss spar equipped for production and drilling operations, as well as two steel catenary risers for oil and gas export. The truss is 131 metres long and weighs 6,600 tonnes, the spar is 227 metres long and 44 metres in diameter. The truss spar has wells for production and water injection, and a drilling rig capable of reaching 7,620 metres. Technip fabricated the Holstein spar. The 148-foot-diameter hull of the truss spar is the first to be built in South Korea by Samsung, under subcontract to CSO Aker Maritime. The spar is also the first to be supported by a vertical riser system, the first to use feathered heave plates and access shafts, and the first to use the largest suction anchors ever constructed.
The 27,000-tonne topsides for the truss spar consist of four levels to accommodate production, compressors, generators and living quarters. J. Ray McDermott fabricated the topsides in three major components: the north module, which houses the drilling and processing facilities; the south module, which houses the quarters and utilities; and the frame, which supports the structure. The entire structure is moored by 16 chain, wire and suction-pile anchors. In a US$400 million contract, Heerema Marine Contractors was chosen to install facilities, associated pipelines and gathering lines. Installation of these facilities commenced in 2002 and was completed in 2003. Baker Energy was contracted to develop operating procedures, and implement a computerised maintenance management system for the truss spar. In 2008, BP awarded WorleyParsons an engineering and project management services (EPMS) contract which includes brownfield topsides modifications, as well as topsides work associated with tiebacks.
Production & Pipeline
Production began Dec. 9, 2004 and the facility is expected to reach peak production of 100,000 bopd and 90 MMcf/d (2.5 MMcm/d). FMC Energy Systems signed a 3 year strategic sourcing agreement with BP to transfer oil or gas from the Holstein wells to the Cameron Highway pipeline. This pipeline has a contract with Shell to transport 50% of Holstein\'s production. Cameron is a 2 kilometre, 24-inch to 30-inch pipeline with the capacity to deliver up to 500,000 bopd from the Holstein field to refining markets along the Texas Gulf Coast. Enterprise and Valero Energy Corporation jointly own Cameron Highway pipeline. FM O&G has increased the net un-risked resource potential of the Holstein Deep field to more than 250 MMBOE from the previous estimate of approximately 140 MMBOE. The data also supports the potential for additional development opportunities at Holstein Deep to achieve production of up to 75,000 BOE per day by 2020.
Operators:
Anadarko Petroleum: Operator with 100% interest
Plains Exploration & Production agreed to buy BP (50%) and Shell (50%) stakes in Holstein Field in 2012. Several months later, the company was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan. In September 2016, Freeport-McMoRan announced that it was selling its deepwater Gulf of Mexico properties to Anadarko Petroleum.
Contractors:
AMEC: Hook up and commissioning services
Baker Energy: Development of operating procedures and implementation of a computerised maintenance management system for the truss spar
Diamond Offshore: Drilling contractor
J. Ray McDermott: Fabrication of the topsides
Technip: Fabrication of the Holstein spar
Mustang Engineering:
Evaluation and selection of development scenarios
Execution of the Topsides Engineering
Project management support and procurement services
Samsung Heavy Industries: Construction of the 148-foot-diameter hull of the truss spar
Heerema Marine Contractors: Installation of the facilities, associated pipelines and gathering lines
WorleyParsons: Engineering and project management services (EPMS) contract
Subsea 7: Installation contract from Freeport-McMoRan for the development of their KOQV and Holstein Deep fields covering installation of flowlines and umbilicals and the contract is valued in excess of US$50 million. Installation is expected to be carried out in the fourth quarter of 2015. The project will be executed by Subsea 7’s pipelay vessel Seven Seas.