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Green light for Thunder Horse South Expansion Phase 2

Decorative image New

BP (operator, 75%) has sanctioned development of the Thunder Horse South Expansion Phase 2 project in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The project is expected to add an estimated 50,000 boe/d of production at its peak at the existing Thunder Horse platform, with first oil expected in 2021.

Two new subsea production units are to be added roughly two miles to the south of the existing Thunder Horse platform, with two new production wells in the near term. Eventually eight wells will be drilled as part of the overall development.

Thunder Horse South Expansion Phase 2 follows several other major expansion projects at the offshore platform in recent years. An earlier South Expansion project at Thunder Horse started up ahead of schedule and under budget in early 2017 and raised output at the facility by an additional 50,000 boe/d. Last October, Thunder Horse Northwest Expansion project came online and is expected to boost production by an estimated 30,000 boe/d. And in 2016, BP started up a significant water injection project at Thunder Horse to enhance oil production at the field.

Earlier this year, BP announced that recent breakthroughs in advanced seismic imaging had identified an additional 1bn barrels of oil in place at the Thunder Horse field, highlighting the potential for further development opportunities in the future.

Over the last five years, BP’s net production in the Gulf of Mexico has increased by more than 60%, rising from less than 200,000 boe/d in 2013 to more than 300,000 boe/d today. BP anticipates its production in the region growing to around 400,000 boe/d by the middle of the next decade.

Developed with co-owner ExxonMobil (25% stake), the Thunder Horse platform sits in more than 6,000 feet of water and began production in June 2008. It has the capacity to handle 250,000 b/d of oil and 200mn cf/d of natural gas.

Aerial view of Thunder Horse
Photo: BP

News Item details


Journal title: Petroleum Review

Countries: USA -

Subjects: Oil, Exploration and production

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