**Shell Sanctions Groundbreaking Waterflood Project at Vito Field in the Gulf of Mexico**
In a significant move, Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Shell plc, has made a Final Investment Decision (FID) on a waterflood project at its Vito asset in the US Gulf of Mexico. This ambitious initiative aims to enhance the field’s production capacity by injecting water into the reservoir formation to displace additional oil and repressurize the oil-bearing layers.
### The Context of the Project
Located in four Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) blocks in the Mississippi Canyon, the Vito field was first discovered in July 2009 in water depths exceeding 4,000 feet. The site is situated approximately 75 miles south of Venice, Louisiana, and 150 miles southeast of New Orleans, close to the Shell-operated Mars tension-leg platform.
The project to achieve first oil production from the Vito field began with a major design revision in 2015. This overhaul resulted in an impressive 80% reduction in CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the platform, alongside a cost reduction of over 70% from the original design concept. These environmental and economic benefits have positioned Shell as a leader in responsible deep-water oil production.
### The Central Initiative: Waterflood
With a target start date of 2027, the waterflood project is expected to significantly enhance the recoverable resource volume by approximately 60 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe). This secondary recovery method involves injecting water to physically displace and sweep the oil towards adjacent production wells, thereby maximizing the ultimate recovery rate from existing wells in the reservoir.
“This investment represents a strategic move to maximize our potential at Vito,” said Zoë Yujnovich, Shell Integrated Gas and Upstream Director. “The benefits of waterflood have been evident over time, and this initiative will deliver additional high-margin, lower-carbon barrels while maintaining our commitment to reducing emissions.”
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