Hoover (AC025) - Exxon Mobil

Location

The Hoover-Diana development is located in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 200 miles south of Houston, Texas.

Water Depth

The project is situated in water depths of about 4,800 feet (1,463 meters), making it the world's deepest water drilling and production platform at the time of its completion.

Infrastructure

The development utilizes a Deep Draft Caisson Vessel (DDCV), which is an 83-story tall structure, nearly half a football field in diameter. This DDCV floats vertically over the Hoover field and is equipped with drilling and production facilities.

Production

Initial production began in May 2000, with average production rates of 140 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) of gas and 18,000 barrels per day (b/d) of oil from five wells. The project is expected to reach peak production rates of 100,000 b/d of oil and 325 MMcfd of gas.

Field Details

• Hoover Field: This is a surface production platform using the DDCV, which is an industry first for surface production wellheads at such a deep water depth.
• Diana Field: Located about 15 miles west of the Hoover field, the Diana field is a subsea development that uses five horizontally completed wells tied back to the DDCV. The use of horizontal gravel packs in this water depth is also a world record.

Technological Milestones

The Hoover-Diana project set several technological records, including:

• Subsea horizontal drilling
• Installation of deepwater pipelines, risers, and mooring systems
• The heaviest module lifts onto a floating surface offshore.

Ownership and Investment

ExxonMobil is the operator of the project with a 66.7% interest, while BP Amoco holds the remaining 33.3%. The project involved an investment of $1.1 billion.

Resources and Production Potential

The Hoover and Diana fields are estimated to contain recoverable resources exceeding 300 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

Future Development

The project's design is flexible and can accommodate future developments in the area, making it a significant step in advancing deepwater technology and production capabilities.

This project marked a major technological milestone for ExxonMobil and the oil and gas industry, demonstrating the feasibility of deepwater drilling and production in extreme environments.