Atlantis Oil Field
Encyclopedia
The Atlantis oil field is the third largest oil field
in the Gulf of Mexico
. The field was discovered in 1998 and is located at the Green Canyon
blocks 699, 700, 742, 743, and 744 in United States federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico about 130 miles (209.2 km) from the coast of Louisiana
. The oil field lies in water depths ranging from 4400 to 7100 ft (1,341.1 to 2,164.1 m).
owns a 56% interest in the field in conjunction with BHP Billiton Petroleum Deepwater
which owns a 44% interest.
The Atlantis field has been developed with a semi-submersible
production platform, Atlantis PQ
, designed by GVA Consultants
and built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
(DSME), South Korea
. The subsea elements of the Atlantis field were designed and fabricated by PS Fabricators. It is one of the largest to undergo systems integration testing (SIT) on land, also at PS Fabricators SIT site. This includes positioning the components as they would be positioned subsea, pressure testing, pig testing, etc. The system itself is rigorously tested to ensure its safety subsea.
, seeking to stop production on the platform Atlantis PQ
until safety documents are produced. The suit was dropped by the plaintiff in mid-June with plans to re-file naming BP plc
as a defendant.
(MMS) to investigate safety practices on BP's Atlantis PQ
offshore platform in the Atlantis Oil Field. A whistleblower report to the MMS in March 2009 stated, "over 85 percent of the Atlantis Project's Piping and Instrument drawings lacked final engineer-approval," as legally required. The report further stated, "the project be immediately shut down until those documents could be accounted for and independently verified." BP and other oil industry groups wrote letters objecting to a proposed MMS rule last year that would have required stricter safety measures. The MMS changed rules in April 2008 to exempt certain projects in the central Gulf region, allowing BP to operate in the Macondo Prospect without filing a blowout plan.
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The field was discovered in 1998 and is located at the Green Canyon
Green Canyon
Green Canyon is an area in the Gulf of Mexico that is rich in oil fields and under the control of the BOEM. Many oil companies, including Shell, Exxon Mobil, ATP Oil and Gas, Devon Energy, W&T Offshore and Anadarko have leased the rights to drill for oil in this area.Green Canyon, block 185 is...
blocks 699, 700, 742, 743, and 744 in United States federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico about 130 miles (209.2 km) from the coast of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. The oil field lies in water depths ranging from 4400 to 7100 ft (1,341.1 to 2,164.1 m).
Reserves
The Atlantis oil field has estimated ultimate reserves of about 600 Moilbbl. The British energy company BPBP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
owns a 56% interest in the field in conjunction with BHP Billiton Petroleum Deepwater
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
which owns a 44% interest.
History
The oil field was discovered in 1998 by the Ocean America semi-submersible, mobile drilling rig operating in a water depth of 1870 metres (6,135.2 ft). The discovery was later confirmed by wells drilled by GSF C.R. Luigs and Glomar Explorer. Production started in October 2007.Production
The field is expected to produce about 200000 oilbbl/d of oil and 180 Mcuft/d of gas.The Atlantis field has been developed with a semi-submersible
Semi-submersible
A semi-submersible is a specialised marine vessel with good stability and seakeeping characteristics. The semi-submersible vessel design is commonly used in a number of specific offshore roles such as for offshore drilling rigs, safety vessels, oil production platforms and heavy lift cranes.The...
production platform, Atlantis PQ
Atlantis PQ
Atlantis PQ is a BP plc and BHP Billiton joint venture semi-submersible oil platform on permanent location over the Green Canyon Atlantis Oil Field in deepwater Gulf of Mexico, south of New Orleans. The "PQ" identifies the platform as being a production facility with crew quarters.The vessel's...
, designed by GVA Consultants
GVA Consultants
GVA Consultants is a Swedish marine and offshore engineering company specialising in the design of offshore structures, and semi-submersible platforms.-History:The experience of GVA as a marine engineering company stretches back more than 25 years...
and built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P...
(DSME), South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The subsea elements of the Atlantis field were designed and fabricated by PS Fabricators. It is one of the largest to undergo systems integration testing (SIT) on land, also at PS Fabricators SIT site. This includes positioning the components as they would be positioned subsea, pressure testing, pig testing, etc. The system itself is rigorously tested to ensure its safety subsea.
Food & Water Watch lawsuit
On 17 May 2010, consumer group Food & Water Watch, with former BP contractor Kenneth Abbott, filed a complaint in the United States district courtUnited States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
, seeking to stop production on the platform Atlantis PQ
Atlantis PQ
Atlantis PQ is a BP plc and BHP Billiton joint venture semi-submersible oil platform on permanent location over the Green Canyon Atlantis Oil Field in deepwater Gulf of Mexico, south of New Orleans. The "PQ" identifies the platform as being a production facility with crew quarters.The vessel's...
until safety documents are produced. The suit was dropped by the plaintiff in mid-June with plans to re-file naming BP plc
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
as a defendant.
US government scrutiny
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion has given new impetus to a number of Congressional Representatives to pressure the Minerals Management ServiceMinerals Management Service
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement , formerly known as the Minerals Management Service , was an agency of the United States Department of the Interior that managed the nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf...
(MMS) to investigate safety practices on BP's Atlantis PQ
Atlantis PQ
Atlantis PQ is a BP plc and BHP Billiton joint venture semi-submersible oil platform on permanent location over the Green Canyon Atlantis Oil Field in deepwater Gulf of Mexico, south of New Orleans. The "PQ" identifies the platform as being a production facility with crew quarters.The vessel's...
offshore platform in the Atlantis Oil Field. A whistleblower report to the MMS in March 2009 stated, "over 85 percent of the Atlantis Project's Piping and Instrument drawings lacked final engineer-approval," as legally required. The report further stated, "the project be immediately shut down until those documents could be accounted for and independently verified." BP and other oil industry groups wrote letters objecting to a proposed MMS rule last year that would have required stricter safety measures. The MMS changed rules in April 2008 to exempt certain projects in the central Gulf region, allowing BP to operate in the Macondo Prospect without filing a blowout plan.
External links
- BP Atlantis PQ diagram and images at FMC TechnologiesFMC TechnologiesFMC Technologies, Incorporated , is an American oil and gas equipment and services technology company. FMC Technologies was incorporated in 2000 when FMC Corporation divested its machinery businesses...
- Atlantis - City On The Rise - Article about the Atlantis Oil Field Project (Date: April 14, 2005)