Roncador field was discovered in 1996 in water depths that range from 4,920 to 6,560 ft. A fast-development schedule was adopted that combined Phase 1 field development with reservoir appraisal. The field began production in January 1999 through a pilot system, the Boating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel Seillean, installed over the RJS-436 well in 6,080-ft water depth. The permanent production system for Phase 1 was scheduled to be installed in the first half of 2000 with the arrival of the P-36 platform, formerly the semisubmersible Spirit of Columbus, and the Boating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel P-47. Contingency planning and flexible field-development concepts were key factors in achieving the goals set for the Roncador field.