Shell brings Mars, Ursa TLPs back online ahead of schedule

Nov. 5, 2021
Shell has re-started production at the Mars and Ursa platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico more than two months after Hurricane Ida.

Offshore staff

HOUSTON – Shell Offshore Inc. has re-started production at the Mars and Ursa platforms in the US Gulf of Mexico more than two months after Hurricane Ida.

The company also began exporting oil and gas through the West Delta-143 (WD-143) “A” facility.

When Mars and Ursa are fully ramped up, Shell will have 100% of its operated production in the Gulf of Mexico back online, ahead of schedule from the company’s initial estimates. In late September, the company said it expected the Mars and Ursa platforms to resume production in 1Q 2022.

On Oct. 1, Shell re-started production at its Olympus platform in the Gulf of Mexico and began exporting oil and gas through the WD-143 “C” facility.

The WD-143 facilities serve as the transfer station for all production from the company’s assets in the Mars corridor in the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico to onshore crude terminals.

The WD-143 platform, owned by Shell Offshore Inc. (71.5%) and bp Exploration & Production Inc (28.5%), is operated by Shell Pipeline Company LP.

Zoe Yujnovich, Upstream Director, said: “Our Hurricane Ida recovery efforts are the latest example of how our people come together with great determination to tackle the biggest challenges of the day. We are proud to have safely restored our full production in the US Gulf of Mexico, where the barrels are among the lowest GHG intensity in the world.”

11/05/2021