Chevron,a U.S.-based energy company,and TotalEnergies,headquartered in France,have initiated oil and gas production at the Ballymore deepwater project in the Gulf of America.Situated in the Mississippi Canyon area,approximately 160 miles southeast of New Orleans,the project operates in 6,600 feet of water.

The Ballymore subsea tie-back,Chevron’s first venture in the Gulf’s Norphlet trend,is designed to produce up to 75,000 barrels of oil and 50 million cubic feet of gas daily.It employs three wells linked three miles to Chevron’s Blind Faith floating production unit,utilizing existing infrastructure to lower costs and emissions.Approved in May 2022,the project holds an estimated 150 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent over its lifespan.Chevron U.S.A.operates with a 60%interest,while TotalEnergies holds 40%.

Brent Gros,Vice President of Chevron Gulf of America,stated:“Ballymore is an example of how we are leveraging technology and driving efficiencies to help produce affordable,reliable energy from the deepwater Gulf of America,one of the lowest carbon intensity oil and gas producing basins in the world.”He emphasized that the project’s on-time,on-budget completion enhances shareholder returns by avoiding the construction of a new offshore platform.

Nicolas Terraz,President of Exploration&Production at TotalEnergies,remarked:“The start-up of Ballymore will increase TotalEnergies’production capacity in U.S.deepwater to more than 75,000 boe/d and contribute to the Company’s targeted hydrocarbon production growth of over 3%in 2025.”The project supports TotalEnergies’focus on integrating cost-effective,low-emission energy solutions in the U.S.

The Ballymore project aligns with Chevron’s ambition to achieve 300,000 net barrels per day of oil equivalent from the Gulf by 2026.It complements other recent production enhancements,including Chevron’s Anchor project,the non-operated Whale project,and improved output from water injection at its Tahiti and Jack/St.Malo facilities.By using standardized equipment and existing facilities,Ballymore reduces development expenses and environmental impact.

This milestone follows a recent oil discovery in the Gulf of America by Chevron and BP,as the operator,underscoring the region’s importance for sustainable energy production.