シェルがメキシコ湾のAppomattoxで生産開始

AsiaNet 78887 （0926）

【ヒューストン2019年5月23日PR Newswire＝共同通信JBN】

＊Norphletの第1構造が前倒しで稼働開始、FID（最終投資決定）の予測を下回る

ロイヤルダッチシェル（Royal Dutch Shell plc）は23日、子会社のShell Offshore Inc（以下「シェル」）を通じ、シェルが操業するAppomattox浮遊式生産システムが数カ月前倒しで生産を開始し、米メキシコ湾深海に新しいフロンティアを開拓したと発表した。Appomattoxは現時点で日量17万5000石油換算バレルの生産が予測されており、メキシコ湾深海のNorphlet地層で生産を開始した最初の商用油田発見となった。

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ロイヤルダッチシェルのアップストリーム・ディレクターであるアンディー・ブラウン氏は「Appomattoxが予定よりも前に大幅に予算を下回って安全稼働を開始したことは、建設時の効率向上を通じてコストを削減するというわれわれの継続的なコミットメントの証しである。AppomattoxはNorphletにおけるシェルの中核となる長期ハブを開発し、発見済みの数カ所の油田と将来発見できる油田を結び付けることができる」と語った。

Appomattoxはイノベーションによる効率性を物語るものである。最適化された開発計画、より良い設計と製造、熟練した採掘実行により、Appomattoxは2015年に最終投資決定が下されて以来、40%以上のコスト削減を実現した。Appomattoxでの生産開始は、Appomattox周辺のNorphletの豊富な資源の流れをさらに最大化する始まりにすぎない。

シェルの深海事業は、ブラジル、米国、メキシコ、ナイジェリア、マレーシア、モーリシャス、黒海西部における開発および探査機会に大幅な投資をしている。世界での生産は、発見済みの既存油層から2020年までに90万石油換算バレル以上に達する予定である。同社は今後も米国の深海における最大のリースホルダーであり、メキシコ湾の石油・天然ガスの最も多産なオフショア生産企業の1社であり続ける。シェルは競争力のある深海プロジェクトを設計、運営し、2014年から同社のユニット開発コストとユニット運営コストを約45%削減してきた。

▽注意書

ロイヤルダッチシェル（Royal Dutch Shell plc）が直接、間接に出資する企業は独立した法的事業体である。本リリースでは、一般にロイヤルダッチシェルおよびその子会社に言及する際には「シェル（Shell）」「シェルグループ（Shell group）」「ロイヤルダッチシェル（Royal Dutch Shell）」が便宜上使用されている。同様に「われわれは（we）」「われわれを（us）」「われわれの（our）」の単語も通例、ロイヤルダッチシェルと子会社、ないしは双方で働くものに言及する際に使用されている。これらの表現はまた、特定の事業体ないしは複数事業体を特定する上で一切の有用な意味を持っていない。本リリースで使用される「子会社（Subsidiaries）」「シェル子会社（Shell subsidiaries）」「シェル企業（Shell companies）」は、ロイヤルダッチシェルが直接ないしは間接に支配する企業に言及している。シェルが共同で支配する事業体と非子会社組織は、通例「合弁事業（joint venture）」「共同経営（joint operation）」としてそれぞれ言及されている。シェルが重要な影響力を有しながらも支配ないしは共同管理をしていない事業体は「関連（associates）」として言及される。「シェル株式（Shell interest）」の表現は、全ての第三者株式を除き、事業体ないしは非法人共同支配においてシェルが所有する直接および／または間接の所有株式を表すために便宜上使用されている。

われわれは本リリースの中で、米証券取引所（SEC）がSECへの当社の申請に含むことを厳しく禁止した資源（resources）など特定の用語を使用した可能性がある。米国の投資家は、SECウェブサイトwww.sec.gov で入手可能な当社のForm 20-F, File No 1-32575における開示を綿密に考察することが求められる。

ソース：Shell Offshore Inc.

Shell starts production at Appomattox in the Gulf of Mexico

PR78887

HOUSTON, May 23, 2019 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

-- First structure in Norphlet comes online ahead of schedule, below FID estimate

Royal Dutch Shell plc, through its subsidiary Shell Offshore Inc (Shell)

announces today that production has started at the Shell-operated Appomattox

floating production system months ahead of schedule, opening a new frontier in

the deep-water US Gulf of Mexico. Appomattox, which currently has an expected

production of 175,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), is the first

commercial discovery now brought into production in the deep-water Gulf of

Mexico Norphlet formation.

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"That Appomattox was safely brought online ahead of schedule and far under

budget is a testament to our ongoing commitment to drive down costs through

efficiency improvements during execution," said Andy Brown, Upstream Director,

Royal Dutch Shell. "Appomattox creates a core long-term hub for Shell in the

Norphlet through which we can tie back several already discovered fields as

well as future discoveries."

Appomattox is a story of efficiency through innovation. By way of optimised

development planning, better designs and fabrication, and expert drilling

execution, Appomattox has realised cost reductions of more than 40% since

taking final investment decision in 2015. The start of production at Appomattox

is only just the beginning of further maximising the flow of resources in the

prolific Norphlet surrounding Appomattox.   

Shell's global deep-water business has a strong funnel of development and

exploration opportunities in Brazil, the US, Mexico, Nigeria, Malaysia,

Mauritania, and the Western Black Sea.  Production worldwide is on track to

reach more than 900,000 boe/d by 2020 from already discovered, established

reservoirs. The company continues to be one of the largest leaseholders in the

US deep water and remains one of the most prolific offshore producers of oil

and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico. Shell designs and operates its

deep-water projects to be competitive and, since 2014, has reduced its unit

development costs and unit operating costs by about 45%.

Cautionary Note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns

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This release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the

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SOURCE: Shell Offshore Inc.