The Whale project largely replicates Shell’s Vito project, which started production in the Gulf of Mexico in early 2023. The new project also uses energy-efficient gas turbines and compression systems with 30% lower greenhouse gas intensity over its lifecycle than Vito, Shell said.

Shell (NYSE:SHEL) said Thursday it began production at its Whale floating facility in the Gulf of Mexico, which is expected to reach peak output of 100K boe/day; Whale is operator and 60% owned by Shell,

Production from Whale brings Chevron another step closer to reaching 300,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day in the U.S. GOM by 2026.

Shell PLC and Chevron Corp. have put onstream the deepwater Whale field on the United States side of the Gulf of Mexico, expecting a peak production of 100,000 gross barrels of oil equivalent a day (boed).

Chevron starts oil production from Whale platform in deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Estimated peak production is 100,000 gross boe/d, with up to 15 wells in the first phase of development.

CVX and Shell begin oil production at the Whale project in the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on sustainability and efficiency while unlocking deepwater resources with advanced technology.

The new Whale development is up and running following President Joe Biden’s drilling ban along much of the U.S. coastline.

Whale's estimated peak output is 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), with 480 million barrels of oil equivalent (mboe) in recoverable resources.