Knotty Head key driver 04/02/2006
Green Canyon discoveries big drawing card in Central Gulf Lease Sale 198
Knotty Head and other significant oil discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico's southeast Green Canyon evidently were key drivers in Central Gulf Lease Sale 198, judging from the umpteen millions doled out...

Appraisal drilling extends BP's Mad Dog field in Gulf 03/27/2005
Well, three sidetracks encounter 300 feet of net oil pay on Gulf of Mexico field's untested southwestern flank; BP, other owners consider options
The BP-operated Mad Dog field in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, already a sizeable discovery by Gulf standards, appears to house a much larger oil accumulation than initially thought. An appraisal wel...

Bullish on drilling 02/20/2005
Transocean predicts current drilling cycle to last through 2006; rates up, but not enough to generate new round of deepwater rig construction
Big offshore drilling contractor Transocean, despite financial challenges during last year's final quarter, remains bullish on industry's future, predicting the current "up" business cycle for offshor...

Unocal slashes exploration, to release Discoverer Spirit 02/06/2005
After years of steady wildcat exploration in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Unocal plans to release its workhorse drilling rig Discoverer Spirit by September to concentrate on the money end of the busi...

Unocal's Sardinia wildcat well yields few hydrocarbons 09/05/2004
Well not commercial, Unocal says, but did find porous sandstones with some shows
The closely watched Sardinia wildcat, designed to test the western reach of the vast lower tertiary trend in "ultra-deepwater" Gulf of Mexico, turned out to be a disappointment and blessing for operat...

St. Malo gets bigger 07/11/2004
Another 400 feet of net oil pay uncovered, weighing Walker Ridge options
St. Malo, already an impressive deepwater find by Gulf of Mexico standards, is looking more like a major oil discovery as the owners examine results from a key appraisal well and review their developm...

Tobago discovery further validates Perdido Foldbelt play; Unocal says could be part of Alaminos Canyon hub 05/09/2004
Unocal says its oil discovery at the Tobago prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, though small by ultra-deepwater standards, would be large enough to include in a proposed hub development that would be supp...

Unocal on to Tobago 04/04/2004
Alaminos Canyon prospect may provide key to ultra-deepwater development
Unocal, following announced dry holes at Myrtle Beach and House Payment in the Gulf of Mexico, has turned its full attention to a potentially key prospect in the ultra-deep waters of the Western Gulf...

MMS: Record dozen rigs working ultra-deepwater 03/14/2004
The U.S. Minerals Management Service says a record dozen rigs are currently drilling at water depths greater than 5,000 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. "This is an important milestone and demonstrates how...

Puma discovery adds to region's geologic promise 01/18/2004
Rhe announced Puma oil discovery in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrated once again the richness of the Atwater Fold Belt, a huge trend that has produced numerous large reservoirs in recent years and a gro...

Transocean sets deepwater record 11/23/2003
Transocean drillship Discoverer Deep Seas has set a new deepwater record with a well spud Nov. 16 for ChevronTexaco at the Toledo prospect on Alaminos Canyon Block 951 in the Gulf of Mexico, Transocea...

Unocal makes strike at St. Malo with over 450 feet of net oil pay 11/02/2003
Operator Unocal and its partners have turned up an oil discovery at their St. Malo prospect that appears to rival some of the largest finds in deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The discovery well, located on...

Unocal tags choice wildcats 07/27/2003
Company opts to explore most promising deepwater GOM prospects
For the remainder of the year, Unocal has opted to spend its exploration dollars in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico on prospects near known discoveries, including one of the largest finds in the Gulf reg...

Transocean to pull seven rigs for inspection after equipment failure in deepwater GOM 06/22/2003
Big offshore drilling contractor Transocean said it will take seven of its deepwater rigs out of service to inspect the same riser system that apparently failed on its Discoverer Enterprise drillship...

GOM deepwater Dendara proves dry hole for Unocal 03/28/2001
Unocal Corp. has plugged and abandoned its Dendara deepwater Gulf of Mexico exploration well as a dry hole and has signed a joint-venture agreement for other GOM prospects with Ocean Energy Inc. The...