Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell), a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc announced the final investment decision for Vito, a deep-water development in the US Gulf of Mexico with a forward-looking, break-even price estimated to be less than US$35 per barrel. This decision sets in motion the construction and fabrication of a new, simplified host design and subsea infrastructure.
Vito is expected to reach peak production of approximately 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day, which represents a significant contribution to our continued growth in the Gulf of Mexico. The development currently has an estimated, recoverable resource of 300mn boe.
“With a lower-cost developmental approach, the Vito project is a very competitive and attractive opportunity industry-wide,” said Andy Brown, Shell Upstream Director. “Our ability to advance this world-class resource is a testament to the skill and ingenuity of our development, engineering and drilling teams.”
In 2015, Shell began to redesign the Vito project, reducing cost estimates by more than 70% from the original concept. Vito’s cost savings are due to the simplified design, in addition to working collaboratively with vendors in a variety of areas including well design and completions, subsea, contracting, and topsides design.
The Vito development is owned by Shell Offshore Inc. (63.11% operator) and Statoil USA E&P Inc. (36.89%); the field is located beneath more than 4,000 feet of water, approximately 150-miles southeast of New Orleans.
With global production progressing to more than 900,000 boe per day, Shell has deep-water projects and opportunities in the US, Brazil, Nigeria, Malaysia, and Mexico.