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Posts Tagged ‘Shenandoah’

FPUs rule! Add Shenandoah and Salamanca to the producing list; bp commits to Tiber.

Posted in Offshore Energy - General, Gulf of Mexico, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Salamanca FPU (Repsol photo)

Every deepwater platform installed since Feb. 2018, when Chevron installed its Big Foot tension leg platform (TLP), has been a Floating Production Unit (aka FPU or production semisubmersible). During that period, no new SPARs, FPSOs, or TLPs were installed.

The list (below) of these simpler, safer, greener FPUs has grown by two with the initiation of production at Shenandoah and Salamanca. Note the water depth range from 3725 to 8600 ft.

platformoperatorwater depth (ft)first production
AppomattoxShell7400May 2019
King’s QuayMurphy3725April 2022
VitoShell4050Feb 2023
Argosbp4440April 2023
AnchorChevron4600Aug 2024
WhaleShell8600Jan 2025
ShenandoahBeacon5840July 2025
SalamancaLLOG6405Sept 2025

The efficiencies achieved with the simpler platform designs combined with the high pressure (>15,000 psi) technology developed over the past 2 decades is facilitatihg production from the highly prospective Paleogene (Wilcox) deepwater fans. (For those interested in learning more about the geology, see the excellent presentation by Dr. Mike Sweet, Univ. of Texas, that is embedded in this post.)

With bp’s commitment to Tiber, 3 new high-pressure projects, ala Chevron’s Anchor, are in the pipeline:

platformoperatorwater depth (ft)discovery datefirst production
Kaskidabp600020062029
SpartaShell470020122028
Tiberbp413020092030
All of the operators note the cost-saving similarities in their FPU designs. For example, Vito and Whale are very much the same despite the 4550′ difference in water depth.

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Gulf production was stable in July. Looks like the zinc effect was minimal.

Posted in Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, pipelines, tagged , , , , , , , on October 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

In mid-July, zinc, presumably from a zinc bromide fluid used in completing a Chevron well, contaminated oil production destined for an Exxon refinery via Shell’s Mars Pipeline System. Total Gulf of America production was stable in July, so it appears that the contamination issue was quickly resolved.

Meanwhile, two new floating production units, Beacon’s Shenandoah and LLOG’s Salamanca are now on line. More on this and bp’s Tiber announcement in an upcoming post.

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All 5 of the simpler, safer, greener deepwater GoM platforms are now producing

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Shell Vito
BP Argos
Murphy King’s Quay
Chevron Anchor
Shell Whale

Shell’s Whale floating production unit began producing this month:

  • estimated peak production:100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d)
  • water depth – 8600 ft
  • 200 miles south of Houston
  • estimated recoverable resource: 480 million boe.
  • first oil only 7.5 years after discovery (includes COVID delay)
  • Vito clone: replicates 99% of the hull design and 80% of the topsides from Vito.
  • high efficiency gas turbines and compression systems
  • ~ 30% lower greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity over its life cycle than the already efficient levels being achieved at Vito. (Why the push to run electric cables from shore to North Sea platforms with ample gas production?)

All 5 of the new simpler, safer, greener floating production units are now online:

platformoperatorfirst production
King’s QuayMurphyApril 2022
VitoShellFeb 2023
ArgosbpApril 2023
AnchorChevronAug 2024
WhaleShellJan 2025

This is all good, but what is next? Will technological advances once again sustain GoM production? The short answer appears to be yes!

The efficiencies achieved with the simpler platform designs combined with the high pressure (>15,000 psi) technology developed over the past 2 decades will facilitate production from the highly prospective Paleogene (Wilcox) deepwater fans. (For those interested in learning more about the geology, see the excellent presentation by Dr. Mike Sweet, Univ. of Texas, that is embedded in this post.)

Three major high-pressure projects, ala Chevron’s Anchor, are anticipated:

platformoperatordiscovery datefirst production
Kaskidabp20062029
SpartaShell20122028
ShenandoahBeacon20092025 Q2

The Gulf still has high production potential if properly managed with consistent lease sales.

Will Florida budge by supporting the lifting of the EGOM leasing moratorium? Here is why they should.

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The 5 new deepwater GoM platforms are now (or will soon be) producing. What’s next?

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Shell Vito
Chevron Anchor
bp Argos
Murphy King’s Quay
Shell Whale

Four of the five simpler, safer, greener deepwater platforms featured on this blog are now producing. The 5th platform (Whale) is on location and scheduled to begin production later this year.

platformoperatorfirst production
King’s QuayMurphyApril 2022
VitoShellFeb 2023
ArgosbpApril 2023
AnchorChevronAug 2024
WhaleShelllate 2024

These platforms are in 4000 to 8600′ of water, are expected to reach peak production rates of 100-150,000 boe/day, and have favorable emissions characteristics on a per barrel basis.

This is all good, but what is next? Will technological advances once again sustain GoM production? The short answer appears to be yes!

The efficiencies achieved with the simpler platform designs combined with the high pressure (>15,000 psi) technology developed over the past 2 decades will facilitate production from the highly prospective Paleogene (Wilcox) deepwater fans. (For those interested in learning more about the geology, see the excellent presentation by Dr. Mike Sweet, Univ. of Texas, that is embedded below.)

Chevron’s Anchor is the first deepwater, high-pressure development. Three similar deepwater hub platforms (table below) will begin production over the next 5 years. These host platforms will also facilitate additional production from nearby fields. Each will have production capacities of approximately 100,000 boe/day. Note the long lead times in achieving first production given the technological issues that had to be evaluated and addressed.

platformoperatordiscovery datefirst production
Kaskidabp20062029
SpartaShell20122028
ShenandoahBeacon20092025

Wood Mackenzie sees these high pressure projects as the key to sustaining GoM production rates. Their projections for 2024 and 2025 seem optimistic based on 2024 YTD data, which adds to the importance of the projected new production.

Related: Movin’ on up to 20,000 psi BOP equipment

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Good news for America!

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2022| 4 Comments »

BSEE.gov
  1. Pictured above are BSEE inspectors from the famed Houma District conducting one of their (always) thorough pre-production inspections at Murphy’s King’s Quay semisubmersible production platform in the Gulf of Mexico. [Trivia question: Who was the first Houma District Supervisor?]
  2. King’s Quay is one of six deepwater platforms expected to begin production in the Gulf over the next several years. Others include Shell’s Vito and Whale, BP’s Argos, Chevron’s Anchor, and Beacon’s Shenadoah. All are semisubmersible platforms, the current design of choice for the deepwater Gulf. Production semis have become smaller and more efficient, greatly improving the economics of deepwater projects.
  3. These platforms feature efficient gas turbines and compression systems that should increase the GHG intensity advantage of deepwater Gulf production.
  4. These are the first deepwater production structures to be installed in the Gulf since Shell’s Appomattox in 2018. Per our previous post on this topic, current GoM production rates are not sustainable without regular, predictable lease sales and increased exploration.
King’s Quay under tow

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