El Paso, Cal Dive Will Construct Anadarko's Marco Polo Deepwater Discovery
El Paso Energy Partners, L.P. and Cal Dive International, Inc. announced that they have signed a letter of intent to form a 50-50 venture to construct, install, and own a deepwater production hub platform and associated facilities primarily for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation's Marco Polo field discovery at Green Canyon 608 in the Gulf of Mexico. The companies anticipate that the facilities will be completed and online in 2004. The production hub platform will be installed in 4,300 ft. of water and has been designed to process 100,000 barrels of oil per day and 250 million cubic ft. of natural gas per day. barrels of oil per day and 150 million cubic ft. of gas per day. discoveries.
MODEC Awarded TLP for Anadarko Field
MODEC International LLC has entered into a letter of intent with El Paso Energy Partners, L.P. for the engineering, procurement and construction of the hull, mooring and production riser system for the world’s deepest tension leg platform (TLP). The TLP is expected to be owned by EPN and Cal Dive International, Inc. and is planned to serve as a production hub at Green Canyon 608 in the Gulf of Mexico initially for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation’s Marco Polo field discovery. The TLP is planned to be installed in 4,300 feet of water and is capable of supporting processing equipment designed to process 100,000 barrels of oil per day and 250 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The facilities are scheduled to be online in 2004.
Cal Dive Completes Marco Polo and Gunnison Loan Facilities
Cal Dive International, Inc. announced that it has completed project financing to fund its share of the cost to construct production facilities at the Marco Polo and Gunnison Deepwater fields. Deepwater Gateway LLC, a joint venture owned by El Paso Energy Partners, L.P. and Cal Dive, has secured a $155 million commitment to fund 70 percent of the estimated total cost of the Marco Polo tension leg platform (TLP). As a 50% owner of Deepwater Gateway, CDI will fund the first $33 million of construction cost, at which point the joint venture will draw upon the loan facility. Repayment, which will begin after delivery of the TLP, consists of Cal Dive paying 20 quarterly installments of $2.75 million and a balloon of $22.5 million due in 2008.
Is More Drilling on the Way?
There has been a steady stream of bad news recently in the marine press regarding the health of the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico. Much of this bad "press" is fueled by boat operators who are trying to do a "Rope-a-dope" on their competitors. That is by "talking the industry down" they are trying to convince competition that "better days" may be years out, hoping they may not be ready when the turnaround comes. All indications are that the industry will indeed drill itself out of the current malaise - sooner than later. And the indicators for such a turnaround are right in front of your face if you know where to look. In general, people who follow intensely the oil and gas industry all agree that a significant rebound is on the way.
