BP plc has ramped up production from the Dorado and King South projects in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM) as subsea tiebacks to its existing Marlin Tension Leg Platform (TLP) infrastructure, which is located about 125 miles southeast of New Orleans.

Dorado, which uses dual completion technology to produce oil and gas from five Miocene zones in the GOM, added three new subsea wells to the Marlin TLP. King South, which is producing through an existing subsea pump, added a single well to the platform. With the addition of the four new wells, the Marlin TLP now is serving a total of 11 wells, which together have daily gross production of about 70 MMcf/d of gas and 60,000 b/d of oil. The TLP was designed to process up to 235 MMcf/d of gas; oil output is now at peak capacity.

“By bringing new resources onstream from areas close to the existing Marlin TLP, BP has reestablished plateau oil production at Marlin, a decade after first production,” said BP’s Andy Inglis, CEO of the company’s exploration and production segment. “This demonstrates the potential to apply the latest technology to leverage our existing infrastructure and maximize recovery.”

Dorado’s wells are located about two miles from the TLP. Dorado is operated by BP with a 75% working stake; Shell Oil Co. holds a 25% stake in the project. King South, which is 100% owned and operated by BP, is located about 18 miles from the TLP.

Since the Marlin TLP was installed by BP in 1999, the Marlin, King, Nile and King West fields have been producing across the area using the TLP infrastructure, BP noted. When it was installed, the TLP was BP’s first deepwater floating facility in the GOM.

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