Ways Forward with Platform Decommissioning in the Gulf of Mexico

Dillon R. Hoffmann / Couvillion Group LLC.

Kevin J. Kennelley, Ph.D. / Kennelley & Associates LLC.

PRODUCTION IS DIMINISHING & DECOMMISSIONING IS ON THE RISE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production accounted for 23.1 billion barrels (Bbl.) of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of gas (Tcf) from 1947-2021. In this time, over half of the produced oil and over 80% of the natural gas produced in the Gulf of Mexico was produced where water depths are less than four hundred feet. Over time, oil and gas production from these shallower water depths has dwindled and production from deep water discoveries has significantly increased. As of 2021, the shallow water Gulf of Mexico production accounts for only 6% of oil production and 23% of gas production. As these shallow water oil and gas fields become depleted the wells are required to