Shell entrusts Gulf of Mexico FPU commissioning task to US player

Houston-based engineering, commissioning, and field services player Gate Energy has struck a new commissioning management and execution deal with Shell Offshore, a subsidiary of the UK-headquartered energy giant Shell, for a semi-submersible floating production unit (FPU) destined for a deepwater development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

After Shell made a final investment decision for the Sparta project in December 2023, Seatrium confirmed a contract for the construction and integration of the hull, topsides, and living quarters of the Sparta FPU, featuring a single topside module supported by a four-column semi-submersible floating hull.

The FPU, which will replicate about 95% of the Whale FPU’s hull and 85% of its topsides, is designed to produce 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d). Shell hired TechnipFMC to handle the part of the work that was described as the first integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (iEPCI) project to use high-pressure subsea production systems rated up to 20,000 psi (20K).

The Sparta project, previously known as North Platte, is a deepwater development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, measuring 4,300 square feet (1,310 meters). Discovered in 2012 by Cobalt International Energy, the Sparta field is operated by Shell Offshore (51%) with Equinor (49%) as the oil major’s partner.

The operator has now picked Gate Energy for the commissioning management and execution work in relation to the Sparta semi-submersible project. The U.S. player underlines that it delivers full project life cycle support to ensure project success from conception to commissioning, with capabilities spanning owner’s engineering, construction management, turnkey commissioning, and initial start-up.

Mark Myhre, President of Commissioning at Gate Energy, commented: “We are honored to extend our long-standing partnership with Shell through the Sparta project. Over the last several years, Gate has successfully delivered multiple projects based on this model, including Vito and Whale, leveraging our global capabilities.

“We are excited to build on that foundation to deliver Sparta safely and efficiently. The all-electric topside compression technology represents a significant step forward for sustainability in offshore operations, and we look forward to ensuring its successful commissioning.”

Gate Energy claims to have been instrumental in commissioning both Vito and Whale; thus, the firm looks to continue its close relationship with Shell with the commissioning of Sparta, whose design closely replicates the 100,000 barrel-per-day designs of the other two projects.

According to the company, Sparta will be the first of Shell’s replicable projects to feature all-electric topside compression equipment that will significantly reduce carbon emissions from their own operations. The development plan for the Sparta project covers eight production wells tied back to a semi-submersible FPU, with an estimated, discovered recoverable resource volume of 244 million boe.

Lee Jordan, GATE Energy’s CEO, highlighted: “Our teams in the US and Singapore look forward to once again working with Shell to successfully deliver industry-leading low carbon Gulf of Mexico deepwater production to the global energy market.”

The Sparta FPU will be located in the Garden Banks area of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, approximately 275 kilometers (171 miles) off the coast of Louisiana. The project is scheduled to come online in 2028.

At the start of 2024, Gate Energy won a commissioning execution contract for the U.S. part of the Shenandoah floating production system (FPS) project in the Gulf of Mexico.