BP Announces Start-up of Dorado and King South Projects in Gulf of Mexico

Houston -- BP announced it has begun production from the Dorado and King South projects in the Gulf of Mexico. Both projects are subsea tiebacks to the existing BP Marlin Tension Leg Platform (TLP) infrastructure.

Dorado comprises three new subsea wells located about two miles from the Marlin TLP and are operated by BP with a 75 percent working Interest. Shell has a 25 percent working interest. King South comprises a single subsea well located about 18 miles from the Marlin TLP and is 100 percent owned and operated by BP.

Both projects leverage existing subsea and topsides infrastructure and the latest subsea and drilling technology to enable the efficient development of the Dorado and King South fields. Dorado utilizes dual completion technology enabling production from five Miocene zones and King South is produced through the existing King subsea pump.

“By bringing new resources on stream from areas close to the existing Marlin TLP, BP has re-established plateau oil production at Marlin, a decade after first production. This demonstrates the potential to apply the latest technology to leverage our existing infrastructure and maximize recovery,” said Andy Inglis, BP’s Chief Executive of Exploration & Production.

Notes to Editors
* BP installed the Marlin TLP in 1999 as a production hub for the Marlin resources and surrounding tie-back opportunities. Since then the Marlin, King, Nile and King West Fields have been producing across the Marlin TLP leveraging the incumbent infrastructure.
* With the addition of the four new wells, a total of 11 wells produce into the Marlin TLP with daily gross production of about 60,000 b/d oil and 70 mmscf/d of gas. When installed, Marlin was BP’s first deepwater floating facility in the Gulf of Mexico.
* The Marlin TLP is located 125 miles southeast of New Orleans and has the capacity to process 60,000 barrels of oil and 235 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
* BP’s Marlin, Horn Mountain, Nakika, Thunder Horse and Pompano production facilities received a 2009 US Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service recognition as a 2009 New Orleans District Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) for the High Activity Operator. Gulf of Mexico production facilities received the District SAFE Award based on GoM’s outstanding performance of zero Incidents of Noncompliance for the production activities in 2008.
* BP’s Mad Dog, Holstein and Atlantis production facilities received a 2009 US Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service recognition as a 2009 Houma District Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) for the High Activity Operator. Gulf of Mexico production facilities received the District SAFE Award based on GoM’s outstanding performance of zero Incidents of Noncompliance for the production activities in 2008.