By
Jaxon
Caines
Hart Energy

From Shell looking to increase production in the Gulf of Mexico to BP working with NASA, below is a compilation of the latest headlines in the E&P space.

Activity headlines

Shell Invests in Water Injection at Gulf of Mexico Field

Shell has taken a final investment decision (FID) on a waterflood project at its Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Vito asset, the company announced Aug. 14.

Waterflood is a method of secondary recovery where the injected water physically sweeps the displaced oil to adjacent production wells, while re-pressurizing the reservoir. The three water injection wells were all drilled as pre-producers.

The process is due to begin in 2027 and is expected to significantly enhance volume capacity at the Vito field.

Shell, who operates Vito with a 63.11% interest, and Equinor, who holds the remaining 36.89%, announced FID for the Vito development in April 2018. First oil was achieved in February 2023.

Oceania Geo Deploys New Seismic Solution in Australia

Galilee Gas Project
Pad3D was able to mitigate issues, HSE risks and environmental disruptions with its accurate subsurface images. (Source: Oceania Geo)

In collaboration with STRYDE and Earth Signal Processing for Galilee Energy, Oceania Geo’s new Pad3D seismic solution was deployed at Galilee Energy’s Glenaras project onshore Australia. The project demonstrates the viability of acquiring small footprint 3D seismic surveys, using lower cost and lower environmental impact technology for well planning and field optimization. 

Pad3D offers high-resolution seismic data to identify production enhancement opportunities by delivering rapid drill-ready subsurface images for time critical drilling decisions.

“At the heart of the new offering lies the STRYDE Node,” Cameron Grant, chief commercial officer at STRYDE, said in a press release. “This approach facilitates the creation of high-resolution subsurface images required to make informed production optimization decisions.”

The project “surpassed expectations,” said Oceania Geo, as its 3D imaging speed aligned with planning and pad development schedules while mitigating environmental disruptions and navigating existing infrastructure.

In addition to oil and gas developments, STRYDE and Oceania Geo have also opened new exploration opportunities for the renewables sector across Australia, such as mining and geothermal.

Contracts and company news

Exmar Awarded Contract for BP’s Kaskida project

exmar Hull
A 3D rendering of Exmar’s OPTI Hull design. (Source: Exmar)

BP has awarded Exmar Offshore Company, a subsidiary of Exmar NV, with a contract to design and engineer the hull for its new floating production facility at the Kaskida development in the U.S. GoM.

This contract, announced Aug. 19, marks the fifth time Exmar will be using its patented OPTI hull design, offering proven design and execution efficiencies with hull sizes and payload capacities across a broad spectrum.

BP and NASA sign agreement to advance U.S. energy production and space exploration

BP has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA to support common goals in energy production and space exploration, the company announced Aug 13. As part of the agreement, BP and NASA will share digital technologies and technical expertise for operating in harsh environments.

The agreement will empower collaboration on a variety of technologies, such as digital models and simulations that allow engineers and scientists to visualize equipment in remote locations more than 7,000 ft underwater or millions of miles away on another planet.

The initial phase of the BP-NASA Space Act will focus on developing standards and expanding the capabilities of visualization and simulation models. Later phases could include the exchange of remote operating practices, including safety, communications, process control and monitoring, integrity management, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence.

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