Virgo
Online
Operator:
W&T Offshore
Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/PetroMarineBonding (All rights belong to the original owner.)
Type:
Oil & Gas
Design:
Fixed steel jacket
Installed:
1999
Facility:
Production
Water Depth:
482
meters
Country:
USA - New Orleans District
Block:
VIOSCA KNOLL 60. Block 823
Intro
Virgo is a subsea tie-back development in the Gulf of Mexico, producing oil and gas through the Devils Tower spar platform. First production began in the early 2000s. The development has no standalone surface facility and relies on the host platform for processing and export.
Field
The Virgo Field is located in the Mississippi Canyon area near the Devils Tower development. Reservoirs are Miocene deepwater sandstone formations typical of the region. The field is relatively small and was developed as a satellite tie-back to maximise recovery using existing infrastructure.
Facilities
The Virgo development consists of subsea production wells tied back via flowlines and umbilicals to the Devils Tower spar, which acts as the host facility. Subsea trees and manifolds gather production and route it to the host. At Devils Tower, processing includes separation, oil stabilization, and gas compression. Oil is exported via subsea pipeline into the Poseidon oil system, while gas is exported through regional gas pipelines connected to the Gulf Coast grid. Produced water is treated prior to discharge at the host. Subsea control systems use electro-hydraulic umbilicals for remote operation. The development may include injection wells for reservoir pressure support. By leveraging the Devils Tower infrastructure, Virgo minimises additional capital investment while ensuring efficient recovery.
Similar Platforms
Image Source: US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. (All rights belong to the original owner.)
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