PROJECT SHOWCASE
CNOOC AMEYALI EXPLORATION WELL
Mexico
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EDDS has been working hard with CNOOC to plan and deliver two exploration wells in the Gulf of Mexico. After 18 months of intensive collective planning, team building and delivery, this fruitful collaboration has resulted in the Ameyali well being recognised by ISHM as one of the top ten discovery wells in 2020, ranking in at number 9.
CNOOC Internal Recognition:
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The initial exploration phase of the Perdido Basin in Mexico’s Gulf of Mexico reached a successful operational ending with the delivery of Ameyali and Xakpun exploration wells.
Drilling began on Ameyali on September 27th, 2020 and concluded on second well Xakpun on March 24th, 2021. The project finished with an exemplary safety and environmental record, ahead of schedule and below projected cost.
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In addition to no recordable incidents, there were also no COVID-19 cases on the rig. The prevention, detection, and quarantine measures applied generated the best possible results.
Yongjie Liu, Country Manager of CNOOC Mexico said, “Since the very beginning we understood the strategic importance of this project for CNOOC International. This is a project of firsts: CNOOC’s first entry in Mexico deepwater; first project executed by the integrated multi-national team based in Houston, US and Mexico with support of headquarters in Beijing; first wells drilled in the middle of an active pandemic and first wells drilled by CNOOC at this depth.”
“This phase of the Mexico Exploration Program has reached all its objectives. Our success is the result of two years of relentless planning by a team of highly motivated and capable individuals. We challenged ourselves to deliver these two wells in an accelerated time schedule and with a focus on cost savings,” added Baosheng He, Project Manager.
“These deepwater wells are among the most complex and deep exploration wells drilled by the company today. We successfully managed many challenges starting with operations in the middle of a pandemic, during a record-breaking hurricane season, in an unprecedented artic cold front, while working in a very complex geology. All of these factors combined made for difficult drilling conditions,” said Qinyue Zhang, Drilling Manager.
In line with most other exploration wells, these wells have been permanently abandoned. The team is now focused on capturing lessons learned and applying the learnings into the geological model for the continuation of a future exploration campaign.
First well spudded in Gulf of Mexico!
October 07, 2020
On September 27, we achieved a major milestone with the spudding of Ameyali-1EXP, our first exploration well in offshore Mexico!
Ameyali-1EXP is a deepwater, subsalt well located in the Perdido Area located about 200 km east of Matamoros, Mexico. CNOOC International is the Operator of both Perdido Area 1 and Area 4; the leases were awarded in 2016.
“This is a very significant milestone for our project and our presence in Mexico,” said Mr. Baosheng He, Project Manager for Mexico Exploration Project. “Our objectives are to drill the well with the highest safety and performance standards. This project is of strategic importance for CNOOC International and our global portfolio of exploration opportunities, as it supports our overarching objective of adding profitable barrels to our Corporate reserves.”
The well is being drilled with the Valaris DS-15, a seventh-generation Dynamic Positioned drillship capable of drilling in up to 10,000 feet of water.
Mr. Qinyue Zhang, Drilling Manager for Mexico Exploration Project, said: “Although we were faced with very compressed planning time and a challenging safety environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we accomplished our goal.
Our Drilling Team, HSE, SCM and other support team members did an outstanding job to deliver the well safely and meet objectives.
This is what Win Together looks to me."
Ameyali Ranking no.9 in the top ten discoveries in 2020
