BP has commenced production from the Argos Southwest Extension project in the US Gulf of America, thereby potentially increasing the existing Argos platform’s output by 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d).
The Argos platform, operational since 2023, has a potential capacity of up to 140,000 barrels per day.
The Argos Southwest Extension involves the addition of three wells and the establishment of a new drill centre located approximately 8km southwest of the existing platform.
It employs a subsea tieback system to connect new wells with existing offshore facilities, thus expanding the Mad Dog field, which was initially discovered in 1998.
BP leads this project with a 60.5% working interest, alongside Woodside Energy (23.9%) and Union Oil Company of California (15.6%).
This development is part of BP’s broader plan to implement 10 major projects globally by 2027. The Argos Southwest Extension is the first of three significant expansion initiatives in the Gulf of America, aiming to raise BP’s production capacity to around 400,000boe/d from this region by 2030.
Future projects include the Atlantis Drill Centre 1 Expansion and Atlantis Major Facility Expansion, scheduled for completion by 2027.
In addition to these expansions, BP is advancing towards launching its Kaskida platform by 2029, anticipated to produce 80,000 barrels per day. Kaskida represents an initial move to unlock substantial resources in the Paleogene formation.
BP Gulf of America and Canada senior vice president Andy Krieger said: “The Argos expansion underpins our commitment to investing in America, growing our US offshore energy production safely and efficiently.
“This project also kicks off a period of significant growth for bp in the Gulf of America, which will continue to play a critical role in delivering secure and reliable energy the world needs today and tomorrow.”
Separately, BP announced an oil discovery at the Bumerangue prospect in Brazil’s Santos Basin. This site revealed a hydrocarbon column in pre-salt carbonate reservoirs. Further analysis and regulatory approvals are pending before additional appraisal activities proceed.
