Eni starts Longhorn gas output in Gulf of Mexico
MILAN, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Italy's oil and gas major Eni (ENI.MI) has started output from its Longhorn gas field in the Gulf of Mexico which will initially produce about 200 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
The field located 60 miles off the Louisiana coast will pump gas from four subsea wells in water depth of 2,500 feet which are connected to the Eni-operated Corral platform, previously known as Crystal, Eni said in a statement.
Eni operates the Longhorn field with a 75 percent working interest, while Canadian oil company Nexen Inc (NXY.TO) holds the remaining 25 percent.
The platform has been fitted with a newly built production and compression facility with a processing capacity of 250 million standard cubic feet of gas per day and 6,000 barrels of oil per day, Eni said.
In addition to the Longhorn field, the Corral platform is being outfitted to boost liquids production capacity up to 12,000 bpd to accommodate the future tie-in of the Appaloosa oilfield, 100-percent operated by Eni, now under development with production expected to start in 2010.
The Longhorn project's initial exploration discovery was made in July 2006.
Eni said it owns lease interests in 376 blocks in the Gulf of Mexico with a daily net output capacity in excess of 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent, 60-percent operated by Eni. (Reporting by Svetlana Kovalyova; editing by James Jukwey)
