Shell Plc subsidiary Shell Offshore Inc. has taken final investment decision (FID) on a waterflood project at the Vito field in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the company announced in a Aug. 14 press release.

The secondary recovery process involves injecting water into the reservoir formation to extract oil and is expected to begin in 2027 for enhanced volume capacity. Water moves displaced oil to adjacent production wells and re-pressurizes the reservoirs, according to the release.

Three water injection wells were drilled as pre-producers for the project.

Shell (operator with 63.11% interest) and Equinor (36.89%) announced FID for the Vito development in April 2018. First oil was achieved in February 2023.

"Over time, we've seen the benefits of waterflood as we look to fill our hubs in the Gulf of Mexico," said Zoë Yujnovich, Shell integrated gas and upstream director. 

The Vito waterflood project will grow Vito’s recoverable resource volume by 60 MMboe.

Vito was discovered in July 2009 in more than 4,000 ft of water about 75 miles offshore Louisiana. Its location is 10 miles south of the Shell-operated Mars TLP.

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