Dover (MC612) - Shell

Location

The Dover oil field is located within Mississippi Canyon block 612 in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 273 kilometers (170 miles) southeast of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is situated at a water depth of 2,286 meters (7,500 feet).

Discovery and Reservoir Details

The Dover field was discovered in May 2018 through the drilling of the Dover discovery well. The well was drilled to a total depth of 6,780 meters (22,300 feet) and encountered more than 244 meters (800 feet) of net oil pay in the Norphlet geologic play. The Norphlet formation is a Jurassic age geological formation characterized by high-pressure and high-temperature sandstone reservoirs.

Development Details

The Dover oil field is being developed as a subsea tieback to the Shell-operated Appomattox production hub. The development includes two production wells that will be connected to the Appomattox platform through a 17.5-mile (28-kilometer) flowline and riser. This approach leverages the existing infrastructure of the Appomattox platform to optimize production efficiency.

Production Capacity

The Dover field is expected to start production between late 2024 and early 2025 and is anticipated to produce up to 21,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) at peak rates.

Ownership and Operation

Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Shell plc, has a 100% working interest in the Dover field. Shell operates the Appomattox production hub, which will serve as the host platform for the Dover field, with a 79% working interest, while CNOOC Petroleum Offshore holds the remaining 21%.

Contractors and Suppliers

TechnipFMC, a UK-based oil and gas technology provider, has been contracted to supply subsea tree systems for the Dover field development. The scope of the contract also includes engineering, procurement, construction, and installation services for the subsea umbilical, riser, and flowline systems.

Appomattox Production Platform

The Appomattox production platform, which will host the Dover field production, is a semi-submersible floating production platform located in Mississippi Canyon block 392. It was constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea and fabricated at Kiewit Offshore Services’ Ingleside fabrication facility in Texas. The platform has a production capacity of 175,000 boe/d and commenced production from the Appomattox field in 2019. It serves as a hub for near-field exploration and subsea tiebacks of new fields in the area.

Strategic Significance

The investment in the Dover project aligns with Shell’s energy transition strategy, focusing on energy-efficient and high-return upstream projects. The project also underscores Shell’s long-term commitment to the US Gulf of Mexico, where oil production has among the lowest greenhouse gas emissions in the world.

Environmental and Operational Context

Shell emphasizes that the US Gulf of Mexico production, including the Dover project, has one of the lowest greenhouse gas intensities globally. This is part of Shell’s broader strategy to thrive through the energy transition by increasing investments in lower-carbon energy solutions while maintaining efficient and secure energy supplies.