HOUSTON, Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Endeavour
International Corporation (NYSE: END) (LSE: ENDV) ("Endeavour" or
the "Company") today announced a drilling update on the
East Rochelle well (15/27-E1y) in
the U.K. Central North Sea.
Following a severe storm lasting several days, the Company
performed a routine inspection of the conductor, well head and blow
out preventer systems using a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV).
Inspection of the well revealed that the cement around the top of
the 36" conductor pipe, that anchors the well to the seabed floor,
had been removed creating a non- uniform hole around the conductor.
The hole extended approximately 4 to 7 feet in diameter and 25 feet
in depth.
As a result of this finding, drilling operations have been
suspended on the East Rochelle
well. The Company is conducting a thorough analysis to identify the
cause of the cement loss and evaluate if there has been any
potential fatigue damage to the conductor itself. The work to
repair the cementing around the conductor pipe has been
completed.
Preparations are now being made to move the Transocean Prospect
rig to the West Rochelle area to
commence drilling of the second production well, allowing for the
start- up of the Rochelle
development. The time to drill the West Rochelle production well is estimated at
approximately 120 days.
Once the investigation and fatigue analysis are concluded, the
Company anticipates that drilling operations will re-commence
at East Rochelle. Endeavour is the
operator of the Rochelle
development and has a 44% working interest in the field located in
Blocks 15/26b, 15/26c and 15/27.
Endeavour International Corporation is an international oil
and gas exploration and production company focused on the
acquisition, exploration and development of energy reserves in the
North Sea and United States. For
more information, visit www.endeavourcorp.com.
SOURCE Endeavour International Corporation