Chevron Completes Drilling of Relief Well Offshore Nigeria

Chevron has sealed and abandoned the shallow water Funiwa 1A natural gas well after completing the drilling of a relief well. The relief well was drilled by the Transocean Baltic rig.

Production at the North Apoi field, which had been shut in as a precaution, has also been restored and the field is now producing approximately 2,000 barrels of oil per day.

Background

On January 16, Chevron reported the fire outbreak aboard the K.S. Endeavor, a drilling rig offshore Nigeria operated by FODE Drilling Nigeria Limited. The rig was drilling a natural gas exploration well, located in the Funiwa Field approximately six miles (10 kilometers) offshore and in approximately 40 feet (12 meters) of water . Seven days later, on January 23 , the company said that “no rig structure can be seen above the water”.

There were 154 personnel on the rig and a support barge, and 152 were safely evacuated. Two workers died in the incident.

On March 2, the fire at the well was extinguished when a portion of the well sealed itself.

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Offshore Energy Today Staff, June 19, 2012