Atlantis Oil Field
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Oil and gas |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Gulf of Mexico |
Key people | BP (56% owner), Woodside Energy (44% owner) |
| Products | Oil, natural gas |
The Atlantis oil field ranks as the third largest oil field in the Gulf of Mexico, situated within Green Canyon blocks 699, 700, 742, 743, and 744, approximately off the Louisiana coastline. It is positioned at water depths ranging from . The field has been subject to concerns regarding subsea safety protocols.
Reserves
The estimated reserves of Atlantis are around . BP, a major industry player, operates the field holding a 56% interest, while Woodside Energy owns the remaining 44%.
History
The discovery of Atlantis occurred in 1998 by the Ocean America semi-submersible rig at a depth of . Confirmation followed through wells drilled by GSF C.R. Luigs and Glomar Explorer. Production began in October 2007.
Production
Atlantis is anticipated to yield approximately of oil alongside of natural gas. Central to its development is the semi-submersible production platform Atlantis PQ, engineered by GVA Consultants and constructed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea. The field also incorporates an array of wet-tree subsea wells.
Subsea equipment was engineered and manufactured by PS Fabricators, undergoing comprehensive systems integration testing (SIT) onshore to guarantee offshore operational safety.
Food and Water Watch lawsuit
On May 17, 2010, the consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch, together with former BP contractor Kenneth Abbott, initiated legal action in the United States district court seeking to suspend operations on the Atlantis PQ platform until relevant safety documentation was disclosed. After initial dismissal, the case was refiled with BP as a defendant following their involvement.
Food & Water Watch asserted that BP failed to supply updated data concerning Atlantis’s suspension during Q2 2012, which they linked to a significant portion of BP’s $3.7 billion profit decline that quarter.
US government scrutiny
Following the Deepwater Horizon incident, Congressional oversight intensified towards the Minerals Management Service (MMS) to review safety protocols on BP's Atlantis PQ platform. A whistleblower report submitted in 2009 indicated that over 85% of piping and instrumentation diagrams for the Atlantis Project lacked final engineering approval, leading to recommendations for an immediate shutdown until proper documentation was verified. Both BP and industry representatives opposed proposed MMS regulations aimed at enforcing stricter safety standards. In April 2008, MMS granted exemptions for certain Gulf projects, permitting BP to operate within the Macondo Prospect without submitting a blowout prevention plan.
External links
- Atlantis – BP plc (archived 2007)
- BP Atlantis PQ diagram and images at FMC Technologies
- Atlantis - City On The Rise – Article on the Atlantis Oil Field Project (April 14, 2005)