BP’s Holstein up, running

Eyton says Gulf oil field start-up marks period of rapid technological advancement in deepwater

Ray Tyson

Petroleum News Houston Correspondent

Oil and natural gas production has been launched from the new Holstein field in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, operator BP said Dec. 13. The field is owned 50-50 by BP and Shell.

Production from Holstein, on Green Canyon block 645 about 100 miles south of Grand Isle, La., began Dec. 9 and will increase over the next year as additional wells are completed and brought online, BP said. At peak production, Holstein is expected to produce more than 100,000 barrels of oil and 90 million cubic feet of gas per day.

Located in about 4,300 feet of water, the Holstein production spar is the largest of its kind in the world. The development consists of a truss spar, equipped with facilities for simultaneous production and drilling operations

“Holstein start-up marks a period of rapid technological advance in the deepwater, for BP and for the industry,” said David Eyton, vice president of BP’s deepwater business unit for the U.S. Gulf.

Oil from Holstein will be transported via the Mardi Gras Transportation System to Ship Shoal block 332B, where it will interconnect with the Cameron Highway Oil Pipeline System. Holstein gas will be exported to Ship Shoal block 332A, where it will interconnect with Manta Ray Gathering System, and from there to the Nautilus Gas Transportation System into Louisiana.

Holstein was discovered by BP in 1999, using the Ocean America mobile offshore drilling unit. Construction of the spar components and topsides commenced during 2001 in Pori, Finland and Morgan City, La.

Holstein is one of several BP deepwater developments scheduled for start-up in the Gulf over the next two years. The others are Mad Dog, Thunder Horse and Atlantis.