The energy giant Chevron announced on Monday that it had made technological history by producing the first oil from a U.S. Gulf of Mexico field under extremely high underwater pressure.
With the completion of its $5.7 billion Anchor project, production from deepwater places that were previously unreachable due to a lack of equipment capable of handling pressures as high as 20,000 pounds per square inch would now be possible.
Chevron and its partner TotalEnergies anticipate 30 years of production from the Anchor development.
The floating platform can pump up to 75,000 barrels of oil and 28 million cubic feet of natural gas daily at its maximum.
The field lies roughly 225 kilometres (140 miles) offshore from the coast of Louisiana.
“We are able to access resources that were previously inaccessible and this industry-first deepwater technology will enable similar deepwater high-pressure developments for the industry,” stated Nigel Hearne, executive vice president of Chevron.
At its Shenandoah deepwater field, located off the coast of Louisiana, Beacon Offshore Energy, another American oil company, hopes to accomplish what Chevron did when it reached 20,000 psi.
The first oil is supposed to be produced in the second quarter of 2025, although that project has been delayed.
The first 20,000-psi field in the Gulf of Mexico, known as Kaskida, was founded in 2006 by BP, however, development was not possible at the time due to subsea technologies.
Submarine technology has mostly been limited to pressures of 15,000 psi up until now.
However, BP approved the field’s development last month, claiming further advancements.
Laptops 1000By utilizing subsea equipment designs, it hopes to produce oil from Kaskida for the first time in 2029.
Seven undersea wells for Chevron’s development will be connected to the Anchor floating production platform.
It is believed that there may be up to 440 million barrels of recoverable oil and gas in the subsea field.
“Chevron’s ability to safely deliver projects within budget in the Gulf of Mexico is demonstrated by this Anchor milestone,” stated Bruce Niemeyer, head of Chevron’s Americas oil and gas production.
