Type:
Oil & Gas
Design:
Semi-Submersible
Installed:
2025
Facility:
Production
Water Depth:
1780
meters
Country:
USA - Houma District
Block:
WALKER RIDGE 60. Block 52
Intro
Shenandoah is a deepwater floating production system under development in Walker Ridge Block 52 in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. It is designed to produce oil and associated gas from high-pressure Lower Tertiary reservoirs. The facility is planned as a standalone semi-submersible host with pipeline export, forming a new production hub in the Walker Ridge area.
Field
The Shenandoah Field is located in the Walker Ridge area of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Reservoirs are Wilcox (Lower Tertiary) sandstones characterised by ultra-high pressures and temperatures. The field is large in scale and represents a significant Paleogene development requiring specialised high-pressure completion and production systems.
Facilities
The Shenandoah development is based on a semi-submersible floating production unit designed for high-pressure service. Subsea wells are tied back via high-specification flowlines and risers designed to handle extreme reservoir conditions. The facility includes robust topsides processing with multi-stage separation, oil stabilization, and high-pressure gas compression systems. Oil is planned to be exported via a new pipeline system connecting into existing Gulf of Mexico crude networks, while gas export will tie into regional transmission infrastructure. Produced water handling systems include treatment and disposal. The facility incorporates advanced materials and equipment rated for high pressure and temperature, including wellheads and subsea trees. Power generation is provided by gas turbines. Subsea infrastructure includes manifolds and electro-hydraulic umbilicals. The design emphasises integrity and reliability under HPHT conditions, with capacity for future tie-backs in the Walker Ridge area.
Similar Platforms
Image Source: Housley Carr, "Back in the Saddle – Gulf of Mexico Oil Production Nears New High, But Will Growth Continue?",[https://rbnenergy.com/]. (All rights belong to the original owner.)
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