Shell Offshore, a subsidiary of Shell, has started production at the Rydberg subsea tie-back, connected to the company's Appomattox production hub in the Gulf of Mexico.

The project is expected to reach an estimated peak production of 16,000boepd.

The Rydberg field is situated within the Mississippi Canyon in the Norphlet Corridor, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana, at a water depth of around 7,450ft.

Shell holds an 80% interest in the Rydberg leases, with China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) owning the remaining 20%. The Appomattox hub, which processes the production from Rydberg, is also operated by Shell, holding a 79% interest, while CNOOC has a 21% stake.

The Rydberg development includes two production wells linked to the Appomattox hub via a single insulated 12-mile flowline and a dynamic umbilical.

Shell deep water executive vice-president Rich Howe said: “Rydberg will further boost production in the Norphlet Corridor at Appomattox, which is consistently one of our highest-producing assets.

“As we meet the energy demands of today and the future, we will continue to mature the best opportunities for growth in the Gulf of Mexico.”

In December 2023, Shell Offshore and its partner Equinor made the final investment decision for the Sparta deep-water development in the US Gulf of Mexico.

The project is expected to reach peak production of approximately 90,000boepd.

As per the estimates, the development currently hosts recoverable resources of 244 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Shell Offshore owns a 51% operator stake in the Sparta project while Equinor Gulf of Mexico owns the remaining 49% interest.