Noble Energy has started production at its Gunflint oil development located in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.
The two-well field, which is 31.14%-owned and operated by the company, is expected to reach a minimum gross production of 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBoe/d).
Oil represents about 75% of the total produce at the field.
Noble Energy said that the net amount to the company is expected to be at least 5 MBoe/d and there is scope to gain additional volumes, dependent upon available capacity at the third-party host facility.
Located at Mississippi Canyon Block 948, the Gunflint development is a subsea tie-back to the Gulfstar One facility owned by Williams Partners and Marubeni.
Noble Energy Gulf of Mexico and West Africa vice-president Hodge Walker said: "The Gunflint project marks our fourth successful offshore major project completed within the past nine months, including the start-up of Big Bend and Dantzler in the Gulf of Mexico as well as the non-operated Alba B3 compression platform in Equatorial Guinea.
“The coordination of simultaneous operations, including topside modifications at the floating production system and subsea well activities, is an accomplishment for all involved.”
Other partners in the Gunflint field are Ecopetrol America (31.50%), Samson Offshore Mapleleaf (19.13%), and Marathon Oil (18.23%).
The field was initially discovered and drilled in 2008, and the first well located at a depth of about 6,100ft, encountered more than 500ft of hydrocarbon pay in multiple high-quality reservoirs.
The well was drilled to a total depth of 29,280ft.
