BP's Tiber one of industry's deepest wells

BP PLC has reported a giant Gulf of Mexico Lower Tertiary deepwater discovery that is also one of the world’s deepest wells.
Named Tiber, the well went to a total depth of 35,055 ft on Keathley Canyon Block 102 and found oil in multiple Lower Tertiary (Paleogene) reservoirs, BP said.

The company said Tiber, after appraisal to determine its size, should be larger than the 3 billion boe that BP expects to recover from its 2006 Kaskida discovery 45 miles to the southeast.

Kaskida, with more than 800 ft of net pay on Keathley Canyon 292, is under appraisal through 2010. The Kaskida discovery well went to 32,500 ft in 5,860 ft of water. Kaskida interests are BP 55%, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. 25%, and Devon Energy Corp. 20%.

Andy Inglis, chief executive, BP Exploration & Production, said, “These material discoveries together with our industry leading acreage position support the continuing growth of our deepwater Gulf of Mexico business into the second half of the next decade.”

BP is the gulf’s largest oil and gas producer with net production of more than 400,000 boe/d. It is working on nine Gulf of Mexico projects: Atlantis Phase 2, Tubular Bells, Kodiak, Freedom, Kaskida, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Mad Dog tiebacks, and Great White.

Tiber is nearly 300 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Tex., in 4,132 ft of water. It is also 35 miles southeast of the Gunnison field complex in the Garden Banks area.

BP operates Tiber with 62% interest. Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA has 20%, and ConocoPhillips has 18%.