Amberjack Pipeline Company (Amberjack), a joint venture between Shell Pipeline Company LP (SPLC) and Chevron Pipe Line Company (CPL), informed that the debottleneck project in the Gulf of Mexico has been completed.
The project installed a new 33 mile (53.1 kilometers), 24-inch pipeline segment from the Green Canyon block 19 platform (GC-19) to the South Timbalier block 301 (ST-301) area, connecting to existing infrastructure to expand the capacity to Fourchon. In addition, it routs the existing Amberjack 20-inch pipeline segment from GC-19 directly to the Ship Shoal block 332A (SS-332A) platform via the Jackalope 20-inch pipeline.
The debottleneck project increased the GC-19 off-take capacity by 60%. From GC-19, shippers can remain on the Amberjack pipeline system to the Mars pipeline or to the Chevron pipeline to Empire, or connect to other downstream pipelines such as Poseidon, CHOPS and Eugene Island.
“The safe completion of this project expands our presence in this important Gulf of Mexico corridor allowing increased access that wasn’t possible before,” said John Doll , president, Amberjack. “This option expands existing infrastructure to eliminate constraints and favorably positions Amberjack to secure future growth in GoM Deepwater fields moving production to key refining markets along the Gulf Coast.”
Pipeline and platform facility design and construction work were completed by a blended SPLC and CPL team, each responsible for different aspects of the project. Additionally, this project required a saturated diving campaign, with more than 170 days of diving with, reportedly, no unscheduled downtime to the existing Amberjack system, connecting pipelines and existing producers.