Content Updated Sunday, May 11 2008
Highlights
COMING JUNE 2008
The beat goes on. U.S. independents have opened a whole new world of unconventional natural gas plays onshore and pioneered new natural gas frontiers in the ultradeepwater Gulf with megaprojects such as Independence Hub. And now, here come the oil plays. High-profile discoveries in the Lower Tertiary trend in the Gulf of Mexico are confirming a vast play area estimated to hold up to 15 billion barrels of oil. And while shales have become synonymous with unconventional gas resources, a new USGS report finds the Bakken Shale contains as much as 4.3 billion barrels of undiscovered oil, 1.8 Tcf of natural gas and 148 million barrels of gas liquids–the largest resource assessment in the history of the USGS! It all adds up to on- and offshore resource potential that has the industry zeroed in on the North American market, and has the pages of The American Oil & Gas Reporter looking better than ever.
That is why all eyes will be on the June issue of The American Oil & Gas Reporter!
April 2008 Cover Story
Deepwater Gulf Of Mexico Takes A Leading Role In Meeting Nation’s Energy Needs
By Lars Herbst
NEW ORLEANS–Any discussion of energy production in the Gulf of Mexico must include an analysis of activity in water depths greater than 1,000 feet. The Gulf of Mexico deepwater frontier fills the lead role in the nation’s domestic energy portfolio, and the future looks promising.
Last year was highlighted by the Independence Hub project, which now brings a tremendous volume of natural gas production to American consumers from the ultradeep waters of the Gulf.
At the end of 2007, BP’s Atlantis project also came on line. As the deepest moored, floating oil and gas production facility in the world, Atlantis will considerably impact total Gulf oil production as it ramps toward its full potential in 2008 and beyond.
Later this year, BP’s Thunder Horse project also is expected to come on line. With a design capacity of 250,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas a day, the Thunder Horse project is anticipated to account for the most production in the Gulf.
