Nansen/Boomvang Projects: Overview and Project Management
Authors: Thibodeaux C.  Jim , Vardeman R. Don , Kindel Charles E. 
Published: October 2008

The Nansen and Boomvang Projects are the world's first two production truss spars. Both projects are expected to achieve first production in less than two years from project sanction. They represent two significant deepwater field development projects successfully implemented simultaneously by a major independent E&P company in record time using a small in housestaff and an effective contractor organization. Trust, empowerment, effective communication, recognition and highly motivated teamwork between the operator, partners, contractors, suppliers and service providers were instrumental in the successful implementation of these projects. Also, well seasoned skilled team members were selected to leverage experience from previous spar development projects. This paper will provide an overview of the two projects, describe the in-house and contract organization, the team building approach, contracting strategy, project management style, regulatory approach, HS&E, and project execution results.

Introduction

The Nansen and Boomvang Fields are deepwater oil and gas fields located in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 135 miles south of Galveston, Texas. Nansen consists of East Breaks blocks 602 and 646, as shown in Figure 1. The Boomvang field is located about 9 miles west of Nansen in East Breaks blocks 642, 643, and 688. Each field development consists of a truss spar moored near the center of the development in approximately 3600' water depth, and one or more subsea systems that are tied back to the spar. Kerr-McGee Oil and Gas Corporation (Kerr-McGee) operates both fields. Kerr-McGee holds 50% working interest in Nansen and the remaining 50% is held by Ocean Energy Inc. Kerr-McGee holds 30% working interest in Boomvang and the balance is held by Enterprise Oil Gulf of Mexico, Inc. (50%) and Ocean Energy, Inc. (20%).

The discovery well at Nansen was drilled in September 1999. The Nansen field was named after Fridtjof Nansen, a famous Norwegian explorer, humanitarian and Nobel laureate.

The discovery well at Boomvang was drilled by Shell in 1988. Another company operated the field until early 1999 when Kerr-McGee bought a 50% interest and acquired operatorship. Additional wells were drilled, including a discovery well in the North Boomvang Field in late 1999. Ocean Energy secured their 20% interest from Kerr-McGee in late 1999 and Enterprise Oil obtained the interest of the other operator in mid-2000. The Boomvang field was named after a "boomvang" which is a component of a sail that secures the sail boom to the mast of the ship.

Field Description

The Nansen Field is located on a faulted salt-related high, on the western side of a large mini-basin. A series of NNE trending, nearly parallel faults radiate from a southern origin, and facilitate the drop into the basin. Productive reservoirs are trapped in elongate, eastward dipping fault blocks. The Nansen productive sandstone reservoirs are found between- 8700' to -13,000'. The reservoirs are lower Pleistocene / upper Pliocene in age (Angulogerina B to Basal Nebraskan). The reservoir sands are deep-water turbidites, deposited mainly in channel/levee deposits.