Gate Energy Secures Commissioning Deal with Shell Offshore for Sparta Project

Houston-based engineering, commissioning, and field services player Gate Energy has struck a new commissioning management and execution deal with Shell Offshore, a subsidiary of the UK-headquartered energy giant Shell, for a semi-submersible floating production unit (FPU) destined for a deepwater development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

After Shell made a final investment decision for the Sparta project in December 2023, Seatrium confirmed a contract for the construction and integration of the hull, topsides, and living quarters of the Sparta FPU, featuring a single topside module supported by a four-column semi-submersible floating hull.

The FPU, designed to produce 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), is a replication of about 95% of the Whale FPU’s hull and 85% of its topsides. Shell has enlisted TechnipFMC to handle the integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (iEPCI) project using high-pressure subsea production systems rated up to 20,000 psi (20K).

The Sparta project, previously known as North Platte, is a deepwater development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, measuring 4,300 square feet (1,310 meters). Discovered in 2012 by Cobalt International Energy, the Sparta field is operated by Shell Offshore (51%) with Equinor (49%) as the oil major’s partner.

Gate Energy has been selected by Shell for the commissioning management and execution work on the Sparta project. The company offers full project life cycle support, including owner’s engineering, construction management, turnkey commissioning, and initial start-up, to ensure project success from conception to commissioning.

Mark Myhre, President of Commissioning at Gate Energy, expressed his excitement about the partnership with Shell on the Sparta project, emphasizing the company’s commitment to delivering projects safely and efficiently. The all-electric topside compression technology in the Sparta project represents a significant step forward for sustainability in offshore operations.

Gate Energy’s CEO, Lee Jordan, highlighted the company’s dedication to delivering industry-leading low carbon Gulf of Mexico deepwater production through its collaboration with Shell on the Sparta project. The FPU is set to be located in the Garden Banks area of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, approximately 275 kilometers off the coast of Louisiana, with a scheduled online date of 2028.

In addition to the Sparta project, Gate Energy recently secured a commissioning execution contract for the U.S. part of the Shenandoah floating production system (FPS) project in the Gulf of Mexico at the beginning of 2024.