bp has launched its Argos offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing its gross production capacity by an estimated 20%. This semi-submersible platform is bp’s fifth in the Gulf of Mexico and its first new production facility in the region since 2008. Argos has a gross production capacity of up to 140,000 barrels of oil per day and is bp’s most digitally advanced platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
The platform, which is the centerpiece of bp’s Mad Dog Phase 2 project, features bp’s LoSal Enhanced Oil Recovery and Dynamic Digital Twin technologies. It also has a waterflood injection capacity of over 140,000 barrels of low-salinity water per day to increase oil recovery from the Mad Dog field. Argos is set to support 250 permanent jobs and is part of bp’s strategy to increase Gulf of Mexico production to around 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the middle of the decade.
Starlee Sykes, bp senior vice president, Gulf of Mexico and Canada, said: “Safely starting up the Argos platform is an incredible milestone for bp and a proud moment for our team who delivered the project with an impeccable safety record. Producing some of bp’s highest value, lowest operational emissions barrels, our Gulf of Mexico business has an important role to play in delivering the energy the world needs. I am grateful to everyone who worked on Argos over the years – from discovery to start-up.”
