Shell Global You are in: Shell Global About us Our major projects Stones STONES Stones is the world’s deepest oil and gas project, operating in around 2,900 metres (9,500 feet) of water in an ultra-deep area of the US Gulf of Mexico. The project started production in September 2016 from a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility. The FPSO connects to subsea infrastructure which produces oil and gas from reservoirs nearly 30,000 feet below sea level. Stones is Shell’s second producing field in the Lower Tertiary geologic frontier in the Gulf of Mexico, following Perdido in 2010. Key facts Location: Gulf of Mexico, USA; 320 kilometres (200 miles) south-west of New Orleans, Louisiana Water depth: 2,900 metres (9,500 feet) Interests: Shell 100% owner and operator Field: Stones field, discovered in 2005 Production: An estimated 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day at peak production. Project overview Shell announced the final investment decision to develop the Stones field in May 2013. Work then began to construct and fabricate the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel and subsea infrastructure. The FPSO, called Turritella, set sail from the shipyard in Singapore in October 2015 and arrived in the Gulf of Mexico in January 2016. Development of the Stones field began with two subsea production wells tied back to Turritella. Six further production wells will be added later, as well as a multi-phase system to pump oil and gas from the seabed to the FPSO, increasing recoverable volumes and production rates. All eight wells will be connected to Turritella. The reservoir depth is around 8,077 metres (26,500 feet) below sea level, and 5,181 metres (17,000 feet) below the mud line. THE WORLD'S DEEPEST OIL AND GAS PROJECT Watch how unprecedented ingenuity and innovation are delivering energy from the Stones field, 2,896 metres (9,500 feet) beneath the US Gulf of Mexico. Read the transcript Technology An FPSO design was chosen to produce oil and gas safely and efficiently from the Stones ultra deep-water field. Tankers transport oil from Turitella to US refineries, while a pipeline transports gas. Stones uses a special type of flexible pipe, known as a steel lazy wave riser, to carry oil and gas to Turritella for processing. Shell pioneered steel lazy wave risers, which have additional buoyancy creating an arched bend in the pipes between the seafloor and the surface. This bend helps to absorb the motion of the FPSO and boosts production performance at extreme depths. The FPSO features a turret, into which fits a disconnectable buoy carrying mooring lines and risers from the well system. The turret and buoy design allows the vessel to turn with the wind during normal weather conditions. If a heavy storm or hurricane approaches, the vessel is able to disconnect from the buoy and sail to safer waters.The Stones project represents the first use of a disconnectable buoy configured with steel lazy wave risers to unlock resources of oil in ultra-deep waters. Shell has more than a dozen deep-water FPSOs around the world. Turritella is the first FPSO we are using in the Gulf of Mexico. Environment and society Shell prioritises social and environmental responsibility. Our Gulf of Mexico operations are closely tied to Louisiana and the city of New Orleans. Following Hurricane Katrina we contributed to several recovery programmes. Shell is also involved in projects to protect the Louisiana coast and restore wetlands. Related press releases September 6, 2016 - Shell starts production at Stones in the Gulf of Mexico May 8, 2013 – Shell moved forward on new Gulf of Mexico development at Stones Scientists gain new line to the deep ocean A new mooring line in the Gulf of Mexico could further scientific knowledge of the world's interconnected ocean systems. Read the Inside Energy story How 3D printing could change our world The latest manufacturing technology combines computing power and agile machines to build almost any object, one layer at a time. Read the Inside Energy story Share this PROJECT OVERVIEW Download the Stones overview page as PDF Download an illustrated fact sheet about Stones MORE IN MAJOR PROJECTS Mars B Mars B adds new infrastructure to help boost production at the Mars field in the Gulf of Mexico. Cardamom Shell has developed the Cardamom oil and gas field in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 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