1. Vector Energy Corp. tested three recent wells at its Mustang Island Block 818-L production facility. The No. A-1 well tested 600 Mcf/d of gas, 30 b/d of condensate and 230 b/d of water through a 10/64-in. choke with 1,800 psi of flowing tubing pressure. The No. I-1 gauged 1 MMcf/d of gas and 150 b/d of condensate with no water on an 8/64-in. choke with 3,500 psi of flowing tubing pressure.

2. Panaco's East Breaks Block 161 No. 2 well tested at 1,444 b/d of oil and 1.6 MMcf/d of gas through a 15/64-in. choke with 3,738 psi of flowing tubing pressure. The company drilled the well to a vertical depth of 10,473 ft (3,194 m) in 1,107 ft (338 m) of water.

3. Texaco is having a good year in the Gulf of Mexico. In the first half of the year, it concentrated on its Cyrus, North Tern Deep and Petronius projects. At the Cyrus discovery in High Island Block A-582, the company drilled two successful delineation wells in 400 ft (122 m) of water 300 miles (483 km) southwest of New Orleans, La. It found more than 250 ft (76 m) of pay in four sands. At North Tern Deep, operator McMoRan Exploration Co. brought the Eugene Island 193 C-1 well on line at 50 MMcf/d of gas and 1,616 b/d of oil. The well is in 295 ft (90 m) of water. Petronius, operated by Texaco, is producing at more than 60,000 boe/d, some 15,000 boe/d higher than originally planned. It produces from a compliant tower in 1,750 ft (534 m) of water in Viosca Knoll Block 786, some 130 miles (209 km) southeast of New Orleans. Well results show reserves of 100 million bbl of oil.

4. Unocal Corp. nailed the record for deepest water depth for a successful wildcat at 9,687 ft (2,953 m). It set the record with the Discoverer Spirit drillship at its Trident prospect in Alaminos Canyon Block 903. The well logged more than 300 ft (91 m) of 41° gravity oil after the drill bit reached a total depth of 20,500 ft (6,953 m) in 66 days. The cost was US $34 million. With 10,000 acres for structural closure, the discovery probably lies at the high end of the predrill estimate of 320 million to 800 million boe. Appraisal drilling begins in 2002.

5. After taking over as operator of the Llano prospect, Britain's Enterprise Oil said it would reach a decision by mid-2002 about development of the 200 million-bbl field. Among the options is the Enserch Garden Banks floating production system. It also will consider third-party options. The GlomarArctic I is drilling the Llano No. 4 appraisal well. The prospect is in Garden Banks blocks 385 and 386.

6. Ocean Energy has two successful appraisal wells at the Magnolia prospect in Garden Banks blocks 783 and 784. It anticipates project sanction by the end of the year. The company also had a stake in the Trident prospect. It is drilling its Red Hawk prospect in Garden Banks 877, the first well that falls under the company's deepwater exploration agreement with Kerr-McGee Corp.

7. Contango Operators Inc. and Republic Exploration LLC have entered an exploration agreement on tracts the companies acquired at the March 2001 Gulf of Mexico lease sale. Under the agreement, the privately owned company, which wasn't identified, will explore Eugene Island blocks 110 and 113B and Grand Isle blocks 24 and 28. Contango and Republic will conduct exploration and development and will get a revisionary interest after payout on each block. Contango expects the first well to be drilled before the end of this year. Contango also will drill its High Island Tract 25L well before the end of the year in Texas waters.