Buccaneer Energy Ltd. said late yesterday that it is relocating the Endeavour jack-up drilling rig some 450 feet southeast of the initial Cook Inlet location due to scouring which caused some settling of the rig’s legs.

The Endeavour was moved to the Southern Cross unit in early September to drill the Southern Cross Unit No. 1 well following completion of the Cosmopolitan No. 1 well.

Buccaneer said installation of the 30-inch diverter and well control equipment on the conductor pipe had been completed at the original drilling site when “some settling of the rig’s legs into the seabed was noted.”

The rig was then leveled and side scan sonar used to evaluate seabed conditions. Buccaneer said “evidence of movement of sand behind and around the bottom of the rig legs was observed which is also called ‘scouring,’” sand movement the company attributed to “the strong currents during incoming and outgoing tides.” The company said the original drilling location had been surveyed and was approved by various state agencies, and added “the current issue is not uncommon in shallow offshore drilling.”

Buccaneer said the new drilling location has been surveyed using sonar and “as an added precaution” drivers were mobilized to sample the seabed to ensure that it would be suitable.

The required state agencies have approved the new location and tugs are being mobilized to move the Endeavor, a move which is expected to take place on or around Sept. 29.

—KRISTEN NELSON

ust, Anadarko signed an exclusive exploration agreement with the Arctic Slope Regional Corp. covering 3.3 million acres of ASRC land and land choices primarily in the foothills of the Brooks Range. Anadarko spokeswoman Kate Perez told PNA Oct. 19 that Anadarko will be reprocessing old seismic over the area and was not planning to acquire any proprietary seismic in the area this winter.