Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 9, BP plc has launched the Argos Southwest Extension project in the Gulf of Mexico, marking the first of several planned initiatives in the region through the end of the decade. The project, located at the existing Argos platform, boosts gross peak annualized production by 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The project adds 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) of gross peak annualized average production at the existing Argos platform.

The extension includes three new wells and a drill center situated approximately five miles southwest of the Argos platform. Utilizing a subsea tieback system, the project connects these wells to existing offshore facilities via pipelines, expanding the Mad Dog field, discovered in 1998.

BP completed the project in about 25 months, seven months ahead of schedule, by streamlining work processes, optimizing project management, and securing early procurement. The Argos platform, operational since 2023, is BP’s fifth production facility in the Gulf of Mexico, operating in 4,500 feet of water, 190 miles south of New Orleans, with a gross production capacity of up to 140,000 barrels of oil per day.

Andy Krieger, BP’s senior vice president for the Gulf of Mexico and Canada, stated: “The Argos expansion underpins our commitment to investing in America, growing our US offshore energy production safely and efficiently.”

Gordon Birrell, BP’s executive vice president of production and operations, said: “Argos’ expansion project demonstrates how BP can swiftly bring new barrels to market safely and efficiently. Our ability to move from resource discovery to first oil at record pace underscores our relentless pursuit to grow shareholder value.”

BP operates the Argos platform with a 60.5 percent interest, while Woodside Energy holds 23.9 percent, and Union Oil Company of California, an affiliate of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., owns 15.6 percent. The Argos Southwest Extension is one of ten major global projects BP plans to launch by 2027 to enhance its upstream operations and long-term shareholder value.

The project is the first of three major expansions and new developments in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, aiming to increase BP’s regional production capacity to approximately 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the decade’s end. Upcoming projects include the Atlantis Drill Center 1 expansion, set to add 15,000 barrels per day and begin operations in 2026, and the Atlantis Major Facility expansion, expected to start in 2027, further leveraging existing infrastructure.

BP is also advancing the Kaskida project, its sixth Gulf of Mexico platform, targeting 80,000 barrels per day with operations starting in 2029. Located 250 miles southwest of New Orleans, Kaskida will tap into the oil-rich Paleogene region. Additionally, BP is working toward a final investment decision in 2025 for the Tiber-Guadalupe project in the Keathley Canyon area.