Shell Exploration & Production Co. (SEPCo) announced that it is developing a subsea production system in the Gulf of Mexico to produce more than 30 Bcf of natural gas over the course of its life. Project Einset’s peak production rates may reach up to 60 MMcf/d.

Sitting in 3,500 feet of water, Einset is a single well project located 170 miles southeast of New Orleans in Viosca Knoll Block 872, SEPCo said. The project is expected to tie in with Shell’s SE Tahoe subsea manifold in Viosca Knoll 784, which transports gas 12 miles to the company’s Bud Lite platform.

“The Einset project is a subsea tieback to the SE Tahoe field, a project which was brought on production within nine months of project approval,” said Steve Sears, SEPCo’s manager of subsea development. “We are planning a similar accelerated development schedule for Einset, with first production anticipated to begin in February 2002.”

SEPCo reported that Einset will develop resources from Viosca Knoll Blocks 872 and 873, which were acquired by Shell in Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Sale 169 in March 1998. Shell is the operator of Einset with a 50% stake and Dominion Exploration & Production Inc. holds the remaining 50% interest. This is the 27th Gulf of Mexico deepwater field in which SEPCo has an interest.

©Copyright 2001 Intelligence Press Inc. Allrights reserved. The preceding news report may not be republishedor redistributed, in whole or in part, in any form, without priorwritten consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.