bp starts up Argos Southwest Extension in Gulf

bp starts up Argos expansion project in US Gulf of Mexico. (Image: bp)

bp has started production from the Argos Southwest Extension project, a subsea tieback development that expands the company’s presence in the Gulf of Mexico and marks the first in a series of U.S. offshore projects it plans to bring online before the end of the decade.

The project adds 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) of gross peak annualized average production to the existing Argos platform, bp’s fifth operated platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Argos came online in 2023 and has a gross production capacity of up to 140,000 barrels of oil per day.

Located about 5 miles southwest of Argos, the extension includes three wells and a new drill center connected to the platform via subsea tiebacks. The project expands development of the Mad Dog field, which was originally discovered in 1998.

“The Argos expansion underpins our commitment to investing in America, growing our U.S. offshore energy production safely and efficiently,” said Andy Krieger, bp’s senior vice president for the Gulf of Mexico and Canada. “This project also kicks off a period of significant growth for bp in the Gulf of Mexico, which will continue to play a critical role in delivering secure and reliable energy the world needs today and tomorrow.”

The startup comes as bp looks to balance its energy transition goals with continued investment in hydrocarbons. The Gulf of Mexico, with its large-scale infrastructure and high-margin barrels, remains a key component of the company’s upstream strategy.