The first ultra-deepwater project with 20K technology sets the stage for future developments in the Gulf.
The Anchor Field, located in the Green Canyon area of the US Gulf of Mexico (GOM), represents a transformative advancement in the oil and gas industry. Positioned approximately 140 miles off the Louisiana coast, it is the first deepwater high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) development featuring equipment capable of handling pressures up to 20,000 psi, surpassing the previous decade’s technical limit of 15,000 psi. As older GOM assets continue to decline in production, new and innovative advancements in ultra-deepwater, HPHT exploration will be critical to maintain or increase overall production, per the EIA.
In August 2024, Chevron announced the commencement of oil and gas production from the Anchor project. The semi-submersible floating production unit (FPU) is designed to produce up to 75,000 barrels of oil and 28 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The field includes seven subsea wells connected to the FPU and holds an estimated 440 million barrels of oil equivalent in recoverable resources. Extending as deep as 34,000 feet below sea level, the Anchor project pioneers the development of ultra-high-pressure reservoirs in the Inboard Paleogene, also known as the Lower Tertiary, an area with untapped production potential.
HPHT reservoirs have been identified in various regions of the GOM, particularly in the Lower Tertiary and Jurassic Norphlet formations. These reservoirs are found at significant depths and are characterized by extreme pressures (>15,000psi) and/or temperatures (>350F). The HPHT technology deployed at Anchor is unlocking not only the Lower Tertiary plays in the ultra-deepwater Central and Western GOM but also the high-temperature Norphlet plays in the Eastern GOM.
The Paleogene period, which spans 66–23 million years ago, contains vast oil and gas resources. Major companies, including BP, Shell, and Chevron, have made notable discoveries in this region, such as the Kaskida, Sparta, and Tiber fields, as highlighted by TGS’ Triton and Crystal A & B wide azimuth seismic in Figure 1.
Figure 1. BP’s Tiber (a) and Kaskida (b) along with Shell’s Sparta (c) represent upcoming high pressure Paleogene Oil developments in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. These fields are covered by TGS’ Triton (a) and Crystal A/B (b) (c) wide azimuth seismic datasets.
Harnessing these resources is critical to realizing the full potential of the Paleogene in the GOM, where an estimated 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent remain within this frontier play. The recent sanctioning of Kaskida, following developments such as Chevron’s Anchor, Beacon Offshore Energy’s Shenandoah, and Shell’s Sparta, underscores the industry's dedication to overcoming technical barriers and maximizing the GOM’s resource potential. These projects not only enhance energy production but also highlight the Gulf's strategic importance in meeting global energy demands.
The GOM continues to be a primary source of oil and gas production in the United States. In 2024, the average oil production from the GOM was about 1.77 million bopd and should surpass 2 million bopd in 2025 according to TGS Well Data Analytics, which represents about 15% of all US oil production. To assist in the evaluation of production targets, TGS offers a complete set of seismic surveys, well data, including interpretation-ready digital logs for roughly 70,000 wells located in the Gulf of Mexico offshore area, as seen in Figure 2. 
Figure 2. TGS Well Data Analytics application showing all available TGS well data and seismic surveys in GOM
In parallel to successful leaps in HPHT production technologies, subsurface imaging is an important domain in which current technological advances are enabling explorers to increase their subsurface understanding. Combining advanced seismic acquisition technologies with advanced seismic imaging technologies to more accurately build depth velocity models below complex salt canopies are providing both exploration and development teams better subsurface images for more accurate subsurface drilling.
Ultra Long Offset Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) programs, many of which are performed by TGS’ Multi-Client business and OBN crews, are proving to be an invaluable technology by improving the subsurface illumination of seismic wavefields into these evolving complex plays. In addition, the latest OBN programs leverage low frequency seismic sources such as Gemini, allowing for deeper penetration of seismic wavefields, which are then combined with the most advanced seismic imaging technologies such as Elastic Full Waveform Inversion (eFWI). eFWI technologies leverage the improved illumination and broader bandwidth seismic data to create more accurate and resolved subsurface images for both exploration and field development teams.
As new technologies continue to be commercialized annually, the synergy between advanced production engineering and geophysical imaging is driving U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil production to unprecedented levels. TGS is proud to play a pivotal role in these advancements, supporting the industry’s efforts to unlock the full potential of the region's hydrocarbon resources.
For more information on TGS Well Data Analytics or seismic coverage, please contact us at WDPSales@tgs.com.
