The Canyon Express pipeline system will allow development of three separate deep water gas fields in the Mississippi Canyon and Desoto Canyon areas, with TotalFinaElf (TFE) as designated operator. The three independent gas fields serviced by Canyon Express are (1) Camden Hills, discovered by Marathon Oil Company (MOC) in Mississippi Canyon (MC) Block 348, (2) Aconcagua, discovered by TFE in MC Block 305, and (3) King’s Peak, discovered by Amoco, now British Petroleum (BP) in MC Blocks 217 and 173 and Desoto Canyon (DC) Blocks 133 and 177. Canyon Express production will undergo initial processing at the planned Canyon Station platform located in Main Pass (MP) Block 261 and operated by Williams Field Services (WFS), acting as an agent of the independent field operators. Canyon Station also hosts three gas export pipelines and one condensate export pipeline. One Canyon Station export pipeline terminates at an existing platform, and three export pipelines terminate at subsea tie-ins with existing pipelines, all in MP Block 261.

Including all flow lines, supply lines, jumpers, and umbilicals, Canyon Express / Canyon Station (CECS) consists of 32 individual pipeline segments, to be permitted as lease term and right-of-way pipelines. The two main Canyon Express flow lines are 12.75 inches in diameter and extend approximately 55 miles from MC Block 348 to MP Block 261. Offshore areas and lease blocks traversed by CECS are as follows: MC Blocks 348, 349, 261, 305, 217, 173, 85, and 41 in the Central Planning Area; DC Blocks 265, 221, 177, 133, 89, and 45 in the Eastern Planning Area; Viosca Knoll (VK) Blocks 1003, 1002, 958, 914, 913, 869, 825, 824, 781, 780, 736, and 692 in the Central Planning Area; and MP Blocks 282, 260, and 261 in the Central Planning Area. Maximum water depth is approximately 7265’ in MC Block 349.

Total hydrocarbon reserves in the three fields are estimated as high as 900 billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas that is > 99% methane. However, no single field contains sufficient reserves to economically justify development cost. A total of nine to eleven subsea-completed wells are planned for the producing fields. Planned maximum Canyon Express hydrocarbon flow rate is 500 million cubic feet (0.5 BCF) per day with approximately 1500 barrels condensate per day. Inline multiphase flow meters will continuously allocate production of all well streams prior to commingling. Canyon Express pipelines will be laid using a dynamically positioned vessel; construction time is estimated at about 90 days. Canyon Station installation including platform, export pipelines, and production equipment is expected to require several months. First production is scheduled for July, 2002.

Canyon Express East Flowline Application
Canyon Express West Flowline Application
Canyon Station 4" Condensate Pipeline Application
Canyon Station 12" Gas Pipeline Application
Canyon Station 12" Gas Pipeline Application
Canyon Station 16" Gas Pipeline Application
Canyon Station Platform Application