The Atlantis oil field is the third largest oil field in the Gulf of Mexico. The field was discovered in 1998 and is located at the Green Canyon blocks 699, 700, 742, 743, and 744 in United States federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico about 130 miles (210 km) from the coast of Louisiana. The oil field lies in water depths ranging from 4,400 to 7,100 feet (1,300 to 2,200 m). The subsea structure of Atlantis has long been the target of safety critics.[1]
The Atlantis oil field has estimated ultimate reserves of about 600 million barrels (95×10^6 m3). The supermajor BP owns a 56% interest in the field in conjunction with BHP Billiton Petroleum Deepwater which owns a 44% interest.[2]
Historyedit
The oil field was discovered in 1998 by the Ocean America semi-submersible, mobile drilling rig operating in a water depth of 1,870 metres (6,140 ft). The discovery was later confirmed by wells drilled by GSF C.R. Luigs and Glomar Explorer. Production started in October 2007.[3]
Productionedit
The field is expected to produce about 200,000 barrels per day (32,000 m3/d) of oil and 180 million cubic feet per day (5,100,000 m3/d) of gas.[4]
The subsea elements of the Atlantis field were designed and fabricated by PS Fabricators. It is one of the largest to undergo systems integration testing (SIT) on land, also at PS Fabricators SIT site. This includes positioning the components as they would be positioned subsea, pressure testing, pig testing, etc. The system itself is rigorously tested to ensure its safety subsea.
Safety practicesedit
Food and Water Watch lawsuitedit
On 17 May 2010, consumer group Food & Water Watch, with former BP contractor Kenneth Abbott, filed a complaint in the United States district court, seeking to stop production on the platform Atlantis PQ until safety documents are produced.[6][7] The suit was dropped by the plaintiff and re-file naming BP as a defendant, as required once BP became involved.[8]
According to Food & Water Watch, BP failed to supplement its document production with new information regarding Atlantis's suspension the second quarter of 2012, which caused much of the company's $3.7 billion loss in profits that quarter.[9]
US government scrutinyedit
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion has given new impetus to a number of Congressional Representatives to pressure the Minerals Management Service (MMS) to investigate safety practices on BP's Atlantis PQ offshore platform in the Atlantis Oil Field. A whistleblower report to the MMS in March 2009 stated, "over 85 percent of the Atlantis Project's Piping and Instrument drawings lacked final engineer-approval," as legally required.[10][11] The report further stated, "the project be immediately shut down until those documents could be accounted for and independently verified."[10] BP and other oil industry groups wrote letters objecting to a proposed MMS rule last year that would have required stricter safety measures.[12] The MMS changed rules in April 2008 to exempt certain projects in the central Gulf region, allowing BP to operate in the Macondo Prospect without filing a blowout plan.[13]
Referencesedit
^Reed, Stanley (31 July 2012). "Series of Write-Downs Leads to Second-Quarter Loss at BP". New York Times.
^"Offshore Technology - Atlantis Deepwater Oil and Gas Platform, Gulf of Mexico".
^Driver, Anna (2010-05-17). "U.S. Regulators Sued Over BP's Atlantis Platform". Houston, Texas. Reuters. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
^Michael Williams (16 May 2010). "Deepwater Horizon's Blowout, Part 1". 60 Minutes (Interview: video). Interviewed by Scott Pelley. CBS. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
^Calkins, Laurel (2010-06-18). Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
^ (Press release). Food & Water Watch. 8 August 2012. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
^ abKate Fried (22 April 2010). "Deepwater Horizon Accident Foreshadows a Potential Disaster Waiting to Happen in the Gulf". Commondreams. Food & Water Watch. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
^Raúl M. Grijalva (2010-05-02). "Grijalva Calls For Investigation of Oil Drilling Safety Records as Whistleblower Suggests BP Is Operating Illegally". U.S. House of Representatives. from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
^Guy Chazan; Ben Casselman (2010-04-28). "Documents Show BP Opposed New, Stricter Safety Rules". Wall Street Journal. from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
^Michael Kunzelmann; Richard T. Piencia (6 May 2010). . Pensacola News Journal. The Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 8, 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
External linksedit
. BP plc. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-11-01. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
- Article about the Atlantis Oil Field Project (Date: April 14, 2005)
January 01, 1970
atlantis, field, atlantis, field, third, largest, field, gulf, mexico, field, discovered, 1998, located, green, canyon, blocks, united, states, federal, waters, gulf, mexico, about, miles, from, coast, louisiana, field, lies, water, depths, ranging, from, feet. The Atlantis oil field is the third largest oil field in the Gulf of Mexico The field was discovered in 1998 and is located at the Green Canyon blocks 699 700 742 743 and 744 in United States federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico about 130 miles 210 km from the coast of Louisiana The oil field lies in water depths ranging from 4 400 to 7 100 feet 1 300 to 2 200 m The subsea structure of Atlantis has long been the target of safety critics 1 Atlantis oil fieldLocation of Atlantis oil fieldCountryUnited StatesRegionGulf of MexicoLocationGreen CanyonBlocks699 700 742 743 744Offshore onshoreOffshoreCoordinates27 11 43 N 90 01 37 W 27 195278 N 90 026944 W 27 195278 90 026944OperatorBPPartnersBP 56 BHP 44 Field historyDiscovery1998Start of productionOctober 2007ProductionEstimated oil in place600 million barrels 8 2 10 7 t Contents 1 Reserves 2 History 3 Production 4 Safety practices 4 1 Food and Water Watch lawsuit 4 2 US government scrutiny 5 References 6 External linksReserves editThe Atlantis oil field has estimated ultimate reserves of about 600 million barrels 95 10 6 m3 The supermajor BP owns a 56 interest in the field in conjunction with BHP Billiton Petroleum Deepwater which owns a 44 interest 2 History editThe oil field was discovered in 1998 by the Ocean America semi submersible mobile drilling rig operating in a water depth of 1 870 metres 6 140 ft The discovery was later confirmed by wells drilled by GSF C R Luigs and Glomar Explorer Production started in October 2007 3 Production editThe field is expected to produce about 200 000 barrels per day 32 000 m3 d of oil and 180 million cubic feet per day 5 100 000 m3 d of gas 4 The Atlantis field has been developed with a semi submersible production platform Atlantis PQ designed by GVA Consultants and built by Daewoo Shipbuilding amp Marine Engineering in South Korea In addition to the semi submersible platform field development uses a network of wet tree subsea wells 5 The subsea elements of the Atlantis field were designed and fabricated by PS Fabricators It is one of the largest to undergo systems integration testing SIT on land also at PS Fabricators SIT site This includes positioning the components as they would be positioned subsea pressure testing pig testing etc The system itself is rigorously tested to ensure its safety subsea Safety practices editFood and Water Watch lawsuit edit On 17 May 2010 consumer group Food amp Water Watch with former BP contractor Kenneth Abbott filed a complaint in the United States district court seeking to stop production on the platform Atlantis PQ until safety documents are produced 6 7 The suit was dropped by the plaintiff and re file naming BP as a defendant as required once BP became involved 8 According to Food amp Water Watch BP failed to supplement its document production with new information regarding Atlantis s suspension the second quarter of 2012 which caused much of the company s 3 7 billion loss in profits that quarter 9 US government scrutiny edit The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion has given new impetus to a number of Congressional Representatives to pressure the Minerals Management Service MMS to investigate safety practices on BP s Atlantis PQ offshore platform in the Atlantis Oil Field A whistleblower report to the MMS in March 2009 stated over 85 percent of the Atlantis Project s Piping and Instrument drawings lacked final engineer approval as legally required 10 11 The report further stated the project be immediately shut down until those documents could be accounted for and independently verified 10 BP and other oil industry groups wrote letters objecting to a proposed MMS rule last year that would have required stricter safety measures 12 The MMS changed rules in April 2008 to exempt certain projects in the central Gulf region allowing BP to operate in the Macondo Prospect without filing a blowout plan 13 References edit Reed Stanley 31 July 2012 Series of Write Downs Leads to Second Quarter Loss at BP New York Times Geoff Hiscock 2003 03 13 BHP to fast track Caribbean oil CNN Retrieved 2010 05 18 Atlantis SubseaIQ Rigzone Retrieved 2010 06 17 BP oil production declines for sixth consecutive quarter International Herald Tribune 2007 01 10 Archived from the original on 2007 01 12 Retrieved 2010 05 18 Offshore Technology Atlantis Deepwater Oil and Gas Platform Gulf of Mexico Driver Anna 2010 05 17 U S Regulators Sued Over BP s Atlantis Platform Houston Texas Reuters Archived from the original on 2013 01 04 Retrieved 18 May 2010 Michael Williams 16 May 2010 Deepwater Horizon s Blowout Part 1 60 Minutes Interview video Interviewed by Scott Pelley CBS Retrieved 18 May 2010 Calkins Laurel 2010 06 18 BP Atlantis Whistleblower Drops Suit Against U S Bloomberg Businessweek Archived from the original on December 2 2010 Retrieved 8 July 2010 Food amp Water Watch and Former BP Contractor Turned Whistleblower Notify Court of BP s Failure to Disclose Information Critical to Atlantis Lawsuit Press release Food amp Water Watch 8 August 2012 Archived from the original on December 2 2010 Retrieved 16 August 2012 a b Kate Fried 22 April 2010 Deepwater Horizon Accident Foreshadows a Potential Disaster Waiting to Happen in the Gulf Commondreams Food amp Water Watch Retrieved 11 June 2010 Raul M Grijalva 2010 05 02 Grijalva Calls For Investigation of Oil Drilling Safety Records as Whistleblower Suggests BP Is Operating Illegally U S House of Representatives Archived from the original on 21 July 2010 Retrieved 11 June 2010 Guy Chazan Ben Casselman 2010 04 28 Documents Show BP Opposed New Stricter Safety Rules Wall Street Journal Archived from the original on 3 May 2010 Retrieved 11 June 2010 Michael Kunzelmann Richard T Piencia 6 May 2010 Oil spill BP had no blowout plan Pensacola News Journal The Associated Press Archived from the original on June 8 2010 Retrieved 11 June 2010 External links edit Atlantis BP plc 2007 Archived from the original on 2007 11 01 Retrieved 16 May 2010 BP Atlantis PQ diagram and images at FMC Technologies Atlantis City On The Rise Article about the Atlantis Oil Field Project Date April 14 2005 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Atlantis Oil Field amp oldid 1147934415, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
