BP has begun construction of the Argos floating production platform for the $9 billion Mad Dog2 project in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico to produce oil. Argos is designed to produce 140,000 barrels of oil per day. This is the oil and gas major's fifth platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Additionally, this is the first new production facility BP has operated in the Gulf of Mexico since the ThunderHorse platform came on stream in 2008. According to BP, the semi-submersible unit will eventually increase the company's total operating capacity in the region by about 20%.

BP said it expected to safely and systematically ramp up production from the Argos platform in 2023. The Argos floating production platform is equipped with BP's proprietary LoSal enhanced oil recovery and dynamic digital twin technology. Its water injection capacity of more than 140,000 barrels per day of low-salinity water is expected to contribute to enhanced recovery at the MadDog field.

BP chief executive Bernard Looney said: "The launch of Argos is a fantastic achievement and contributes to our integrated energy strategy, investing in today's energy system while investing in the energy transition.

As bp's most digitized facility globally, Argos will apply our latest technology to strengthen our key position in the Gulf of Mexico for years to come.

Argos is considered by BP to be the core of the Mad Dog Phase II project, extending the life of the Mad Dog field. Mad Dog was discovered in 1998 and has been producing spars through Mad Dog since 2005. Weighing more than 60,000 tons, the 27-story platform operates in 4,500 feet of water. It is located nearly 306 kilometers south of New Orleans, Louisiana.Editor/XingWentao