The Point Thomson reservoir, located 60 miles east of Prudhoe Bay, is over 12,000 feet deep. The reservoir pressure of 10,200 pounds per square inch is abnormally high for the depth, requiring specialized drilling and well-completion operations to maintain well control, said ExxonMobil.
The project will cost approximately $1.3 billion, which includes a five-well delineation drilling program and a multi-year development to construct production facilities, pipelines and support infrastructure. The upgraded Nabors rig will drill the first well during the 2008-09 winter season.
Under the initial phase, approximately 200 million cubic feet per day of Point Thomson gas is expected to be produced. Approximately 10,000 barrels per day of liquid condensate that is separated from the gas is planned to be delivered for sale through new and existing oil pipelines. The remaining gas will be injected back into the Thomson Sand reservoir to maintain pressure for continued hydrocarbon recovery and for subsequent gas sales.
Craig Haymes, Alaska production manager for ExxonMobil, said: Point Thomson will be the highest pressure gas cycling project in the world, employing world-class drill wells. Currently over 150 people from more than 30 companies in Alaska are working to progress drilling and development activities for the Point Thomson field. The future availability of Point Thomson gas is essential to the success of an Alaska gas pipeline project.
