Shell announced new exploration discovery in the deep water U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
The initial estimated recoverable resources for the Fort Sumter well are more than 125 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).
“The Fort Sumter discovery builds upon Shell’s global deep-water leadership. Its proximity to our nearby discoveries in the area, and to highly prospective acreage to the southeast, makes Fort Sumter particularly significant,” said Ceri Powell , executive vice president exploration. “These successes demonstrate there is still running room in the producing basins of our heartlands where large, high-value discoveries have the potential to further strengthen our deep-water competitiveness.”
Fort Sumter was safely drilled in the Mississippi Canyon Block 566, located approximately 73 miles (117 kilometers) offshore southeast of New Orleans, in a water depth of 7,062 feet (2,152 meters) to a total vertical drilling depth of 28,016 feet (8,539 meters) measured depth.
The block is nine square miles (23 square kilometers) in size and is operated by Shell (100%). An appraisal sidetrack well was later drilled to a depth of 29,200 feet (8,900 meters) measured depth.