Eastward expansion
Since 1988, the eastern portion of the Gulf of Mexico has been off-limits to oil and gas leasing due to a plethora of political and environmental concerns. But a string of discoveries in sister provinces to the west has kept interest high in the area. Oil and gas companies hope to see the long leasing dry spell come to an end next year, when the US Minerals Management Service (MMS) has planned OCS Sale 181. It likely will be the only acreage in the eastern Gulf open to leasing in the foreseeable future. The sale, tentatively scheduled for Dec. 5, 2001, will offer up 1,033 blocks covering 5.9 million acres in water depths ranging from 108 ft (33m) to almost 11,000 ft (3,355m). The area's prospectivity combined with the sale's last chance atmosphere has sparked a great deal of interest in the region. Very little well data is available, but several 2D and 3D seismic surveys have been shot, and several geologists have made it their business to learn as much as possible about subsurface features. The paper describes a conference of trends, seismic surveys, and potential pitfalls.
- OSTI ID:
- 20082190
- Journal Information:
- Hart's E&P, Vol. 73, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Apr 2000; ISSN 1527-8322
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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