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Mars

Mars is a deepwater tension leg platform located in the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico. Producing oil and gas since 1996, it was one of the earliest large-scale deepwater TLP developments. The platform serves as a major production hub, with direct export via dedicated oil and gas pipelines to shore.

Operator: Shell

Status: Online

Mars platform photo

Image Source: Shell (All rights belong to the original owner.)

Production: Oil & Gas

Operations start: 1996

Water depth: 896 m

Country: USA - New Orleans District

Block: MISSISSIPPI CANYON 60. Block 807

Type: TLP

Field

The Mars Field spans multiple blocks in the Mississippi Canyon area. Reservoirs are Miocene turbidite sandstones with significant structural complexity. The field is large in scale and was developed using a TLP with both platform-drilled wells and subsea infrastructure, representing a cornerstone deepwater development in the Gulf.

Facilities

The Mars TLP is installed in approximately 896 m of water and supports numerous dry-tree wells drilled from the platform, alongside subsea tie-backs. The facility includes extensive topsides processing with multi-stage separation, oil stabilization, and gas compression. Oil is exported via a 116-mile, 18/24-inch pipeline to Clovelly, Louisiana, while gas is exported via a 55-mile, 14-inch pipeline to West Delta 143. Produced water is treated prior to discharge. The platform includes water injection systems for reservoir pressure maintenance. Power is generated by gas turbines. The TLP is moored by vertical tendons, providing stability for drilling and production. Control systems manage both surface and subsea wells, and the infrastructure supports long-term phased development of the field.

Mars layout
Image Source: "Shell Sees Volumes on Mars Oil Pipeline System Rise in First Quarter" - Pipeline & Gas Journal [https://pgjonline.com/] (All rights belong to the original owner.)

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