Type:
Oil & Gas
Design:
TLP
Installed:
1994
Facility:
Production
Water Depth:
872
meters
Country:
USA - Lafayette District
Block:
GARDEN BANKS 60. Block 426
Intro
Auger is a deepwater tension leg platform (TLP) in the Gulf of Mexico, installed in 1994 and one of the first commercial TLP developments. It produces oil and gas from both platform-drilled wells and subsea tie-backs, functioning as a regional hub. The facility is vertically moored and connected to export pipelines for continuous processing and transportation.
Field
The Auger field lies in Garden Banks, Gulf of Mexico, producing from Miocene-age turbidite sandstone reservoirs. The development includes multiple faulted and compartmentalized reservoirs typical of deepwater channel systems. It was one of the earliest large-scale deepwater projects, demonstrating commercial viability of TLP technology in high-pressure offshore environments.
Facilities
Auger is based on a tension leg platform with a buoyant hull tethered to the seabed by vertical tendons, enabling minimal vertical motion and supporting dry-tree wellheads. Production wells are drilled directly from the platform, supplemented by subsea wells tied back through flowlines and manifolds. Fluids are routed via rigid risers to topside facilities where multi-stage separation divides oil, gas, and produced water. Oil is stabilized and exported through pipeline systems, while gas is compressed and transported via offshore gas networks. Produced water is treated prior to discharge or reinjection. The platform includes water injection systems for reservoir pressure maintenance. Utilities include gas turbine-driven power generation, chemical injection systems, and integrated control systems for well and process management. Subsea infrastructure includes umbilicals providing hydraulic control, electrical power, and chemical delivery. The TLP configuration allows direct well access for intervention and workover, improving long-term recovery efficiency. Export pipelines connect to regional trunklines, integrating Auger into wider Gulf infrastructure.
Similar Platforms
Image Source: US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. (All rights belong to the original owner.)
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