Eni set to spud Vernaccia in October

Stone Energy Corporation, an independent oil and gas company, has informed that Vernaccia exploration well, in the Gulf of Mexico, is scheduled to spud by early October 2015. 

The prospect is operated by Italian company Eni. The Vernaccia exploration well, in Mississippi Canyon Block 35, targets the Miocene interval in a four-way structure. Eni currently has Ensco’s semi-submersible drilling rig, ENSCO 8500, contracted for the Gulf of Mexico work.

According to Stone Energy, the well is estimated to take three months to drill.

After a recent sell down of a portion of its position, Stone now has approximately 4% working interest in the drilling cost of the well and will have an approximate 22% working interest ownership thereafter.

Completion of Amethyst discovery

Elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, Stone Energy expects to resume rig operations on the Amethyst discovery before October 1, 2015  as the scheduled maintenance and outfitting with mooring capabilities for the ENSCO 8503 deepwater drilling rig has been completed. The rig will be mobilized to Mississippi Canyon block 26 to finish the completion of the Amethyst discovery where Stone Energy has 100% working interest.

Amethyst will be tied back to the Pompano platform, where first production is expected early in the first quarter of 2016. After the Amethyst completion, Stone Energy says the rig is currently projected to drill the Cardona #7 development well, followed by the Lamprey and Derbio deep water exploration prospects.

Offshore Energy Today Staff