Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged 2 million bopd, Gulf of America, oil production, tropical storms on December 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Posted in California, energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged Federal offshore, Gulf of America, history, offshore drilling, Offshore Oildom, oil production, Tyler Priest on November 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Tyler Priest, the leading historian on US offshore oil and gas operations, has published another gem. His book, Offshore Oildom, is a fascinating account of the history of the technologically innovative and economically important, yet highly controversial, OCS Oil and Gas program. His book is highly recommended.
Consider this recommendation by Daniel Yergin:
“Tyler Priest, a preeminent historian of energy and the environment, explores how a single well drilled off a pier near Santa Barbara in 1898 gave rise to a major American industry—offshore oil and gas. In spirited prose, Priest demonstrates how this U.S. industry was created not only by innovation, creative engineering, and complex execution; it was also the result of fierce political battles.” ~Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power and The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations
Posted in Offshore Energy - General, UK, tagged 50 years, Forties field, North Sea, oil production, Scotland on November 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »
JL Daeschler informs me that the famous Forties field in the North Sea turned 50 today. The field, which has produced 2.86 billion barrels of oil, was inaugurated in Aberdeen by Queen Elizabeth II on 3 November 1975.
Marking the Forties field’s half-century, the current operator Apache said it stood as a testament to Scottish grit, industrial excellence, and enduring human spirit.
In November 2024 Apache said it had suspended new drilling and would end all its operations in the North Sea by 2029. ☹
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged BOEM forecast, EIA forecast, Gulf of America, March 2025, oil production on June 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »
March Gulf of America oil production was nearly identical to the 2024/2025 average, and the trend line (red) is remarkably flat. However, production remains below the volumes forecasted by EIA and well below those forecasted by BOEM.
It appears that new deepwater production is replacing Gulf-wide production declines, but is not yet sufficient to increase total production. We will see if that changes as the year progresses.
Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation, tagged Gulf of America, January 2025, offshore leasing, oil production, safety regulation on April 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Sustaining or preferably increasing production rates will be dependent on a reliable schedule of lease offerings and a consistent regulatory regime based on best safety management principles and continuous improvement in technology, practices, and culture. Poorly considered operating restrictions imposed by activist judges are a major risk to both safety and production.
Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged December 2024, Gulf of America, large increase, new deepwater platforms, oil production on February 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Actually, the latest data are for December 2024, so that was before the name change. It’s a nice story nonetheless, very patriotic.😉
Most likely, the jump in production is related to increased output from the new deepwater facilities we have been following.
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes, Offshore Energy - General, tagged Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Francine, Hurricane Helene, Oct 2024, oil production on January 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Following the 200,000 bopd decline in Sept. because of Tropical Storms Francine and Helene, Oct. GoM oil production was once again in the normal range for 2024. With the exception of Sept., average 2024 production has been remarkably consistent from month to month.
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes, Offshore Energy - General, tagged Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Francine, Hurricane Helene, oil production, production consistency, September 2024 on December 2, 2024| Leave a Comment »
As expected, the Gulf of Mexico’s remarkable 7 month production consistency streak ended in September as a result of shut-ins associated with Tropical Storms Francine and Helene. Nonetheless, average daily production still amounted to 88% of the ~1.8 million bopd average that had been achieved for the previous 7 months. Rather impressive resiliency!
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes, Offshore Energy - General, tagged August production, Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Francine, Hurricane Helene, oil production, stability on October 31, 2024| Leave a Comment »
The streak of unprecedented Gulf of Mexico oil production stability was extended to 7 months in August.
As a result of shut-ins for Tropical Storms Francine and Helene, the streak will end when the production for Sept. is posted.
Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged 2024 data, Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Francine, Hurricane Helene, oil production, stability on October 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »
The stability in Gulf of Mexico oil production rates, as noted when the data for June were released, continued into July. Oil production once again remained remarkably consistent at 1.8 million bopd.
Average daily production was within 1.4% of 1.8 million bopd for each month from February to July. As previously observed, this is as stable as production has been for any 6 month period in the past 10 years. I’m not sure this observation is terribly significant, but it’s interesting nonetheless. 😀
If the streak didn’t end in August, it most certainly did in September given the shut-ins for Hurricanes Francine and Helene.
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 