McMoRan reported that its Lafitte ultra-deep prospect, which is located on Eugene Island Block 223 in approximately 140 feet of water, has encountered additional hydrocarbons. The well has been drilled to a true vertical depth of 29,756 feet and has been logged with wireline logs to 29,740 feet. The wireline log results indicated 56 net feet of hydrocarbon bearing sand over a 58 foot gross interval in the Cris-R section of the Lower Miocene with good porosity. Flow testing will be required to confirm the ultimate hydrocarbon flow rates from this zone, which was full to base. McMoRan controls approximately 15,000 gross acres in the immediate area of Lafitte.

The new Cris-R sand interval combined with the 115 feet of potential net pay (250 gross feet) announced previously brings the total possible productive net sands to 171 feet in the Lafitte well. These results enhance the potential of McMoRan's other acreage in the Lafitte strategic area, including McMoRan's Barataria and Captain Blood ultra-deep prospects. Barataria (10,000 gross acres) is located west-southwest of Lafitte and Captain Blood (10,000 gross acres) is located immediately south of Lafitte.

McMoRan plans to apply for a permit to deepen the Lafitte well to a proposed total depth of 32,000 feet to evaluate deeper Miocene and Oligocene objectives. Lafitte is McMoRan's third ultra-deep prospect to encounter Miocene age sands below the salt weld on the GOM Shelf. McMoRan holds a 72.0 percent working interest and a 58.3 percent net revenue interest in Lafitte. Other working interest owners in Lafitte include Energy XXI (18.0%) and Moncrief Offshore LLC (10.0%).

Tags: McMoRan Exploration Co.