Aug. 2012 - McDermott has received a contract by the Discovery system for offshore facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. The project is to deliver new junction facilities for Discovery's Keathley Canyon connector pipeline system with a 3,300-ton, four-leg platform in 350 feet (107 meters) of water. The unmanned platform will provide pipeline junction facilities for incoming deepwater pipelines from the Hadrian South and Lucius fields and four outgoing shallow-water pipelines to shore. Fabrication is expected to commence this summer in Louisiana with offshore installation commencing in 3Q2013.

Mar. 2012 - ExxonMobil awarded Technip a contract for subsea equipment on the Hadrian South natural gas development in the GOM in about 7,500 feet (2,300 meters) of water. The project consists of a subsea tie-back to the planned Anadarko operated spar platform, Lucius. The contract covers project management, procurement and installation of two 7-mile (11-kilometer) long flowlines and associated jumpers; installation of a 9-mile (14-kilometer) umbilical, associated foundation and flying leads; and pre-commissioning. The equipment will be installed in 2013.

Feb. 2012 - Discovery Gas Transmission awarded Foster Wheeler a contract to provide design, engineering and technical services for a junction platform, facilities and associated pipelines within the Discovery System at South Timbalier Block 283 in the GOM. The platform, located in about 350 feet of water, will be a four-pile structure with a two-level deck. It will be designed as an unmanned structure with a control system designed to shut down the facility in the event of an upset condition. The new infrastructure will enable the existing Discovery pipeline to operate at a higher pressure, both before and after the connection of the new Keathley Canyon pipeline. Discovery will construct the Keathley Canyon Connector, a 20-inch diameter, 215-mile subsea natural gas gathering pipeline for production from the Keathley Canyon, Walker Ridge and Green Canyon areas in the central deepwater GOM. Discovery has signed long-term agreements with Lucius and Hadrian South owners for natural gas gathering and processing services for production from those fields. The Keathley Canyon Connector will originate in the southeast portion of the Keathley Canyon area and terminate into Discovery's 30-inch diameter mainline near South Timbalier Block 283.

Jan. 2012 - Williams Partners and DCP Midstream Partners have announced a planned expansion of the Discovery natural gas gathering pipeline system in the deepwater GOM. Discovery intends to construct the KEathley Canyon Connector, a 20-inch diameter, 215-mile subsea natural gas gathering pipeline for production from the Keathley Canyon, Walker Ridge and Green Canyon areas in the central deepwater GOM. Discovery has signed long-term agreements with Lucius and Hadrian South owners for natural gas gathering and processing services for production from those fields. The Keathley Canyon Connector will originate in the southeast portion of the Keathley Canyon area and terminate into Discovery's 30-inch diameter mainline near South Timbalier Block 283. The pipeline will be capable of gathering more than 400 MMcf/d of natural gas. Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2013, with a mid-2014 expected in-service date.

Aug. 2011 - Anadarko Petroleum has finalized an agreement with ExxonMobil Corp. to jointly develop the Lucius oil and gas field in the deepwaters of the Gulf of Mexico. The company plans to develop the field through a truss spar with the capacity to produce more than 80,000 bopd and 450 MMcfm/d of natural gas. The development has a project start-up date scheduled for 2014. Lucius is estimated to hold more than 300 MMbbl of oil equivalent, with an API gravity of 29 degrees, Anadarko said. The operator will hold a 35% operating stake in the area, which includes four blocks in the Keathley Canyon area. Lucius partners include ExxonMobil (15%), Plains Exploration & Production Co. (23.3%), Apache Corp. subsidiary Apache Deepwater LLC (11.7%), Petrobras (9.6%) and Eni Petroleum (5.4%). Upon finalizing the deal, the partners agreed to process gas from the Hadrian South field in return for fees and facility-upgrade requirements, the company stated. Hadrian South, located on Keathley Canyon Block 964, is operated by ExxonMobil.

Jun. 2011 - ExxonMobil made two oil discoveries and a gas discovery in the Gulf of Mexico in the Keathley Canyon area, making them one of the largest discoveries found in that region, in the last decade. These discoveries (drilled in '09, '10 and presently) could generate more than 700 million barrels of recoverable oil and gas equivalent, said ExxonMobil. The recently drilled KC919-3 wildcat well, by the Maersk Developer semisub, has confirmed the presence of a lower oil reserve in Keathley Canyon Block 919. The well encountered more than 475 feet (145 meters) of net oil pay and a small amount of gas in predominantly Pliocene high-quality sandstone reservoirs. Drilling is continuing in the well in order to achieve a depth of 6,941 feet (2,116 meters). In 2010, ExxonMobil discovered oil and natural gas at Hadrian North, also in the Keathley Canyon area. The well found more than 550 feet (168 meters) of net oil pay and a minor amount of gas. A year prior, ExxonMobil found more than 200 feet (61 meters) of natural gas pay in Pliocene sandstone reservoirs at its Hadrian South prospect in Keathley Canyon Block 964. The company estimates a recoverable resource of more than 700 million barrels of oil equivalent combined in the company's Keathley Canyon blocks, with more than 85% of the resources being oil with further upside potential. ExxonMobil will now determine the best development option for these resources. ExxonMobil is the operator of KC918, KC919, KC963 and KC964 with 50% working interest. Eni Petroleum US LLC and Petrobras America Inc. each hold a 25% working interest in KC919, KC963 and KC964. Petrobras America Inc. holds a 50% working interest in KC918.

Mar. 2011 - The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement has approved ExxonMobil's deepwater drilling permit to drill in the Gulf of Mexico. The approved permit is a revised permit to drill a new well on Keathley Canyon Block 919 in 6,941 feet (2,116 meters) of water, approximately 240 miles (386 kilometers) off the Louisiana coastline, south of Lafayette, Louisiana. Prior to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the operator had a rig on-location and an approved permit to drill when activities were suspended due to the temporary drilling suspensions.

Oct. 2009 - ExxonMobil is using the Ocean Endeavor semisub to spud its Hadrian-III prospect, located on the Keathley Canyon Block 919 in 7,380 feet (2,249 meters) of water. Drillng operations could take up to 110 days, and the well is targeting both oil and gas.

Sep. 2009 - ExxonMobil submitted a supplemental Exploration Plan to MMS for the Hadrian South field. The plan proposes to plug-back the original borehole and sidetrack well #1 on Keathley Canyon Blocks 963 and 964. ExxonMobil operates this prospect with a 50% working interest with co-owners ENI (25%) and Petrobras (25%).

Jul. 2009 - ExxonMobil submitted a Supplemental Exploration plan to the Minerals Management Service for the Hadrian prospect. The plan proposes to drill and temporarily abandon four wells (locations C, D, E & F) with completion of the wells to be performed under the development phase of the project. The company expects to use the Seadrill West Sirius or a similar dynamically positioned semisubmersible rig.

Jun. 2009 - ExxonMobil will drill its Hadrian II sub-salt prospect using the Eirik Raude. Drilling operations should commence once the rig moves off the Julia well.