Page 84: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Apr/May 2014)

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Gulf of Mexico

Kings of the

Mars B

Two of the major deepwater

Discovered in 1989 and brought into developments that have started production in 1996, Shell’s Mars ? eld is a massive resource in the Gulf of Mexico. production so far in the Gulf

Gulf

The ? eld has produced more than of Mexico belong to Shell and 770MMboe to date, exceeding Shell’s

BP. Sarah Parker Musarra own estimations at the time of discovery.

The Mars ? eld is located in 3100ft of examines the technology and water, and is home to the 24-well, 3250ft- history behind two mammoth tall Mars A tension-leg platform (TLP).

projects: Mars B and Na Kika.

As the ? eld aged, Shell surveyed Mars.

“We stepped back and looked back at the opportunities remaining at the Mars n Greek and Polynesian mythology, ? eld purely as a deepwater giant,” Shell

Mars, Olympus, and Na Kika are syn- Business Opportunity Manager Derek

I onymous with gods and kings: Mars, Newberry, who lead the team accountable the Greek god of war; Olympus the great for the Mars B Olympus project execu- mountain ever-looming in Greek mythol- tion, explained. “It has a hydrocarbon ogy; Na Kika, the Polynesian octopus- column that spans from 10,000ft below god. Mars B Olympus and Na Kika sea level to 22,000ft below sea level.

Phase 3 achieved ? rst oil weeks apart in “It is a signi? cant resource base,” he

February 2014, and Shell and BP hope said. the developments reach the same elite Shell hit back-to-back discoveries with rates at around 100boe/d. The company’s status as their respective namesakes. West Boreas and South Deimos in 2009 largest ? oating deepwater Gulf of Mexico

While Mars B and Na Kika share and 2010, respectively. At that point, platform, it also has a self-contained drill some surface similarities – both are in Mars’ future landscape started shifting. rig.

the Mississippi Canyon blocks, both are “Once we made those discoveries, we Reservoirs are located at depths of notable in size and in water depth – the assessed the range of potential hydro- 10,000 - 22,000ft, which is around 2-4mi main commonality between the two carbon volumes that could be recovered below the sea? oor.

developments is their uniqueness. from those ? elds,” Newberry said. “Once Newberry said that the infrastructure we had the range and potential volumes, of the Mars B venture can be broken into we worked out what kinds of develop- three major segments: Olympus, which is ment concepts we could place on West located about 1mi. southwest of the exist-

Boreas/South Deimos to recover that ing Mars TLP; West Boreas/South Deimos resource base.” subsea development; and the develop-

Newberry said that recognizing the ment’s export solutions.

strength of the existing TLP and the close The 6-well West Boreas/South Deimos proximity of the West Boreas and South is tied back to Olympus through a single

Deimos discoveries led Shell to make seabed manifold located 3mi. west of the a landmark decision for the deepwater TLP. Two production ? owlines along the development, saying that it was “the ? rst seabed tie the manifold back to Olympus time in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico through production risers. Umbilicals that the decision has been taken to add power the wells, and provide the various such signi? cant infrastructure to an exist- ? uids and chemicals the subsea wells ing ? eld.” may require throughout their lifetime.

Located in MC807, Olympus, the ? eld’s Although Shell considered other second TLP, discovered new life on Mars. options, the decision to employ a tieback

Shell says Olympus extends the life of fast became the best solution. the ? eld to at least 2050. Its ? rst well “We looked at the concepts and identi-

The semisubmersible platform Na Kika produced ? rst oil on 4 Feb 2014, Shell ? ed that there was tremendous energy in MC474 in the Gulf of Mexico.

estimated production will reach 1 billion (potential) by developing West Boreas/

Photo from BP.

boe, with potential to deliver production South Deimos as a subsea tieback to the

April 2014 | OE oedigital.com 86 000_0414_GOM-7-charticle.indd 86 3/22/14 7:37 PM