Sembcorp Marine Awarded Vito FPU Contract from Shell

Vito will be Shell’s 11th deep-water host in the Gulf of Mexico.

A subsidiary of Singaporean shipbuilder Sembcorp Marine has been awarded a contract from Shell Offshore to construct and integrate the hull, topsides and living quarters of a new semi-submersible Floating Production Unit destined for Shell’s Vito project in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

The Vito FPU will feature a 4-column semi-submersible hull with topsides weighing 9,200 tonnes.

Shell announced its final investment decision for the 100,000 barrel-per-day Vito development in April after a years-long redesign of the project reduced cost estimates by more than 70% of the original concept to a break-even of less than $35 per barrel.

The Vito FPU will be located in more than 4,000 feet of water in the Mississippi Canyon Block 984 in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 150-miles southeast of New Orleans. It will consist of eight subsea wells with deep (18,000 feet) in-well gas lift.

William Gu, Sembcorp Marine Senior Vice President and Head of Rigs & Floaters, said, “We are delighted that Shell has awarded the Vito FPU contract to us. We are fully committed to executing and delivering the project safely and efficiently.”

Vito is owned by Shell Offshore Inc. (63.11% operator) and Statoil USA E&P Inc. (36.89%).

The Vito development will be Shell’s 11th deep-water host in the Gulf of Mexico. It is currently scheduled to begin producing oil in 2021 and has estimated recoverable resources of 300 million boe.