Shell’s Cougar platform after producing more than 31 million barrels of oil equivalent over a span of nearly two decades, will now help sustain a healthy, vibrant Gulf of Mexico ecosystem as an artificial reef.
Shell donated the steel frame supporting Cougar’s deck and topside to the State of Louisiana’s Artificial Reef program and made a contribution to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department (LWFD) to help maintain and monitor the reef. The jacket is now providing habitat for marine life, including red snapper, amberjack, and many reef-dependent fish.
“Cougar marks the end on an era for Shell because this is one of our last fixed leg platforms in the Gulf. I’m proud to be part of the Shell team entrusted with restoring the Cougar site and using the platform’s jacket to create an artificial reef that will give divers and fisherman joy for years to come,” said Tommy Giddings, who served as Shell’s Operations Manager for Cougar in 1990 and now supports the Cougar decommission project.
Shell contracted a specially designed vessel to move the nearly 350 foot tall and 3000-ton jacket to the Ship Shoal 320 block off the coast of LA, where it was positioned as an artificial reef.
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