2024 Oil

~1.77 million b/d

≈14–15% of U.S. crude production.

2024 Gas

~1.8 Bcf/d

Shelf-weighted + associated gas from deepwater hubs.

Oil-Weighted Basin

The modern GOM is primarily an oil province; gas volumes are comparatively smaller and more variable.

Platforms, Facilities & Pipelines

Item	GOM (U.S.)
Regulated offshore facilities	~2,000 (incl. production, drilling, quarters)
Manned production platforms (storm base)	~371
Active offshore pipelines (oil + gas)	~13,000 miles
Total installed (active+inactive, historical)	~45,000 miles (cumulative)
Typical deepwater crew on board	~60–200 POB (asset-dependent)

Counts vary with new starts, workovers, and decommissioning.

Shelf vs. Deepwater

Shelf blocks (e.g., Ship Shoal, South Marsh Island) are shallow-water, mature oil/gas with frequent small operators. Deepwater projects (>500 ft) are capital-intensive hubs with long-tieback networks (e.g., Mars–Ursa, Thunder Horse, Appomattox, Whale).

Big Operators (production, 2024)

Oil-heavy (Deepwater)

Shell (Mars/Ursa corridor, Appomattox, Perdido, Whale)
BP (Thunder Horse, Atlantis, Na Kika)
Chevron (Jack/St. Malo, Big Foot, Tahiti; Anchor coming on)
Oxy/Anadarko, Murphy, Hess, Eni

Gas & Shelf-focused

W&T Offshore, Talos, Arena Offshore, Cox Operating, Cantium
Many legacy shelf platforms in Louisiana OCS blocks

Operator ranks change as assets trade and new projects ramp. Use BSEE monthly/annual tables for current placements.

Area Profiles (the blocks you listed)

Texas Deepwater (Perdido Fold Belt & Western GOM)

Perdido hub (~7,800 ft water) and Whale (~8,600 ft) typify ultra-deepwater.
Oil to Gulf Coast refineries via deepwater trunklines & onshore hubs.

Ship Shoal (SS)

Mature shelf oil/gas; active independents; tie-ins to Poseidon (crude) and Kinetica/Destin (gas).
Example legacy blocks: SS 332/339 (historic activity).

South Marsh Island (SMI)

Shallow-water fields; gas-weighted pockets; frequent workovers, recompletions.
Gas takeaway commonly via Kinetica system.

South Timbalier (ST)

Shelf legacy; crude gathered by Amberjack/Poseidon; near deepwater Mississippi Canyon tiebacks.

Grand Isle (GI)

Proximity to LOOP/Clovelly & St. James marketing hubs.
Shelf platforms with multiple crude routing options.

West Delta (WD)

Historic oil/gas area southeast of the Mississippi River Delta.
Gas to Destin/Kinetica; crude options to Poseidon.

Main Pass (MP)

Eastern shelf fields with oil/gas; gas to Pascagoula via Destin pipeline.

Deepwater Examples

Shell Whale (Alaminos Canyon 773)

~8,600 ft water; designed around ~100 Mboe/d peak; target crew ~60 POB.

Appomattox (Mississippi Canyon 437)

Major deepwater hub, started 2019; typical POB ~80–100 depending on campaigns.

Chevron Anchor (HP/HT)

First 20k-psi deepwater development in the GOM; next-gen subsea and topsides pressure envelope.

Where the Oil is Refined (and how it moves)

PADD 3 (Gulf Coast) refineries in Texas & Louisiana run most GOM crudes.
Key hubs: LOOP/Clovelly and St. James (CAM/LOCAP) moving Mars/Thunder Horse blends.

Refinery	Approx. capacity
Marathon Galveston Bay (TX)	~630 kb/d
Motiva Port Arthur (TX)	~625 kb/d
ExxonMobil Baytown & Beaumont (TX)	~600–900 kb/d (combined)
Valero Port Arthur / ExxonMobil Baton Rouge / Marathon Garyville	Major GOM crude takers

Capacities rounded; check current EIA capacity tables for exact values.

People, Crewing & Pay

Typical Crewing

Deepwater floater or hub: ~60–200 POB
Shelf platforms: often lightly manned or periodic visits
Common rotations: 14/14 or 21/21 days

Indicative Annual Pay

Roustabout: ~$46k (median)
Derrick operator: ~$58k (mean)
Petroleum engineer: ~$154k (mean)

Actuals vary by operator, rotation, OT, and certifications.

Onboard Roles

Drilling, production ops, subsea, maintenance, crane/lifting, marine, HSE/medics, catering, logistics, inspection/NDT.

Operational Risks & Safety Controls

Key Hazards

Hurricanes, large waves, rapid weather changes
Fires/explosions; hydrocarbon releases, blowouts
Helicopter/boat transfers; man overboard
Lifting/crane operations; high-pressure/HPHT systems
Illness/medevac in remote setting

Controls in Practice

Storm shut-ins & evacuations; muster & shelter procedures
Permit-to-work, SIMOPS planning, MoC
Well control barriers (BOPs, MPD), ESD/PSD systems
F&G detection, firewater/foam, drills
HUMS/condition monitoring; USCG/BSEE audits

BSEE incident stats show improving trends, with variability year to year.

Spills & Major Events

Deepwater Horizon (2010) — reference point

Large deepwater blowout with extensive environmental and economic impact; catalyzed major regulatory changes.

Response Toolbox

Mechanical recovery (booms, skimmers)
Chemical dispersants (offshore conditions permitting)
In-situ burning; shoreline protection
Bioremediation strategies and monitoring

Travel to & from Rigs

Helicopters (e.g., S-92 class) for crew-change & medevac
Offshore Supply Vessels (OSVs) for cargo, fuel, drilling fluids
Base ports: Port Fourchon, Venice, Houma, Galveston, Corpus Christi, etc.

Flight decks and boat landings follow strict procedures for POB control, cargo handling, and simultaneous operations (SIMOPS).

Active Gulf Oil Rigs and Platforms - Oil Rig Location Map

Gulf of Mexico Oil & Gas — 2024 Snapshot