**Shell Commits to Enhanced Oil Recovery at Vito Field with Waterflood Project** ‒ **A Strategic Move for Sustainable Production**
In a significant milestone for Shell Offshore Inc., a subsidiary of Shell plc, the company has made the final investment decision (FID) to initiate a waterflood project at its Vito asset in the US Gulf of Mexico. This strategic move aims to maximize the recovery of oil from the Vito field, which was discovered in July 2009 in the Mississippi Canyon area, over 4,000 feet beneath the surface, approximately 75 miles south of Venice, Louisiana, and 10 miles south of Shell’s operated Mars tension-leg platform.
The waterflood project involves injecting water into the reservoir formation to displace additional oil towards adjacent production wells, thereby re-pressurizing the reservoir. This method of secondary recovery is a proven technique to enhance oil production and increase recoverable resource volume. The project is expected to commence in 2027 and is anticipated to boost recoverable resources by 60 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe).
Initially discovered in 2009, the Vito field has seen significant developments. First oil was achieved in February 2023, marking a significant milestone for the field. In 2015, the original Vito host design was simplified and rescoped, resulting in an impressive 80% reduction in CO2 emissions and more than 70% cost reduction from the original plan. This design optimization has not only minimized environmental impact but also ensured operational efficiency.
Zoë Yujnovich, Shell Integrated Gas and Upstream Director, emphasized the benefits of waterflood in enhancing production capacity within the Gulf of Mexico: “Over time, we’ve seen the benefits of waterflood as we look to fill our hubs in the Gulf of Mexico. This investment will deliver additional high-margin, lower-carbon barrels from our advantaged upstream business while