NEW ORLEANS – Shell’s Mars platform in the Gulf has reached a milestone, becoming the first offshore asset in the United States to produce one billion barrels of oil over its lifetime. The platform came online three decades ago and remains an important part of domestic offshore oil production.
Brought online 30 years ago after one of the most significant oil discoveries in American history, Mars marked a major expansion of deepwater oil development. Built in Louisiana and located 130 miles south of New Orleans, the platform has been considered a significant engineering achievement in offshore energy production. Over its lifetime, thousands of Shell employees and contractors have contributed to the asset.
“What happens in Louisiana changes the world, and that’s certainly the case with Shell’s Mars platform. You can only reach a staggering billion barrels at one asset when you bring together the rich resources of our state with the know how and determination of Louisianians. And Mars keeps producing, bringing us the energy we need to power our lives and secure our future,” said Jeff Landry.
Shell Mars Platform – Building the Corridor
From its earliest stages, Mars required new approaches to engineering and operations, with Shell and a team of local-based contractors developing processes and equipment to meet the demands of deepwater production. Its success paved the way for three additional Shell-operated offshore platforms in what is now known as the Mars Corridor and helped support the growth of the modern deepwater industry in the Gulf…