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Hilcorp to use jack-up at Granite Point
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Hilcorp Alaska plans to use the Spartan 151, or a similar jack-up rig, to drill as many as four sidetrack wells from existing wellbores at the Granite Point Platform. The Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas said in an approval of the unit plan of operations dated May 16 that the proposed wells will be drilled to bottom-hole depths between 7,000 and 16,000 feet. Rig mobilization is expected to begin by June 1, with an estimated 30 to 60 days per each well completion. Drilling activities and rig demobilization will conclude by Nov. 15.
The division said its authorization is for rig placement and related development drilling activities only, with authorizations required from other state and federal agencies.
Three primary targets have been identified, the division said.
Spartan 151 The division said Hilcorp has contracted the Spartan 151, an independent leg cantilever jack-up rig, for the drilling and plans to cantilever the Spartan over the Granite Point Platform.
Support vessels and helicopters to support drilling activities will originate from Nikiski, from either the Offshore Systems Kenai Dock or Rig Tender’s Dock.
Granite Point Hilcorp’s most recent plan of development for the Granite Point unit, filed April 1 and approved May 10, said the company planned to maintain production for the period of the 2019 POD, which is effective July 1 through June 30, 2020.
Long-range development activities included plans to delineate all underlying oil or gas reservoirs, further evaluate additional rotary development wells and evaluate drilling of multilateral sidetracks out of existing parent bores using coiled tubing drilling technology.
Hilcorp said in the POD that it anticipates drilling two rotary sidetrack wells, GP-53 and GP-55, and said it was possible that operation on the first of the wells could begin in late May.
“If timing of the ice arrival in the Cook Inlet permits, a third rotary sidetrack well, GP-52, will be drilled,” the company said.
There are three platforms at the Granite Point unit: Granite Point, Anna and Bruce.
- KRISTEN NELSON
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