Auger - An Asset in Transition
Authors: Brock Valerian A. 
Published: October 2008

Auger was Shell's first tension leg platform (TLP) located in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and is now continuing to lead the way in new approaches to life cycle utility. With first production in 1994, the main Auger field underlying the platform is nearing depletion. In order to keep the facility full and maintain or grow value, Auger is being transformed from a TLP focused on field development to an infrastructure hub serving as a subsea tie-back host for fields in the surrounding area. This paper will address the challenges faced and actions taken in navigating this transition.

Introduction

Auger lies approximately 214 miles southwest of New Orleans in Garden Banks OCS block 426 at the southern limit of industry development into deepwater (Figure 1). It is a maturing field with strategic location and excess facilities processing capacity. With expansions, the platform has become a major infrastructure point, boasting a nameplate capacity of 420 MMCFD and 105 MBOPD. To-date the field has produced over 285 million barrels of oil equivalent, but current productive capacity from the Auger wells is about half of facilities availability (Figure 2).

Without new volumes to fill the hub, Auger would soon become uneconomic. There are, however, several fields in the area that can be developed with subsea technology and tied back to the Auger TLP for processing. Macaroni was developed in this way in 1999, and Serrano and Oregano fields in late 2001 (Figure 3). With these fields now on-line, Auger still has processing capacity available, and competitive opportunities to fill it exist and are being pursued in the basin. However, Shell did not design the TLP with "being a hub" in mind. Consequently, a number of topsides modifications are underway to expand its host capabilities and tie back these future opportunities. Sustainability for Auger requires successfully making this hub transition.

Figure 1. Prospect Auger Location Map (Available in full paper)

Figure 2. Auger Field Production History (Available in full paper)

Figure 3. Auger TLP (Available in full paper)

Background

The 100% Shell field was discovered in 1987, and initial development consisted of ten wells producing from various reservoirs, with first oil on April 15, 1994. Auger produces from Mio-Pliocene reservoirs at depths of 16,000-22,000', in a layered sheet/amalgamated channel ponded turbidite depositional setting. Production performance has exceeded initial expectations, with wells capable of producing over 20 MBOPD/100 MMCFD and an ultimate recovery of as much as 50 MMBE from a single completion. The generally high reservoir continuity and strong aquifer support have resulted in recovery efficiencies of 50-60%. However, the main reservoirs are rapidly depleting, and remaining development and recompletion opportunities are not sufficient to offset base decline.

Taking a different perspective on Auger, from an infrastructure rather than field exploitation point of view, leads to a broader approach to value. The value chain for Auger involves steps from finding this oil and gas, through development and production, to providing processing services for external customers.