Shell’s Whale field is found in the Alaminos Canyon Block
Shell greenlights Whale venture
Gulf of Mexico FIDs may be waning, but latest approval shows they can still be viable
Shell has reached FID on the Whale development in the US Gulf of Mexico, the company announced on 26 July. The move comes at a time when deepwater FIDs on new standalone developments in the Gulf have become rare, and illustrates it is still possible to move forward with such projects. The FID announcement comes as Shell is stepping up its decarbonisation efforts. Indeed, the company says Whale will use energy-efficient gas turbines and compression systems, adding the Gulf has among the lowest greenhouse gas intensities in the world for producing oil. “Shell approving Whale does not come as a surprise to us, given the quality of the asset,” says Jared Kugler, a senior associate at data analyt
Also in this section
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy
22 January 2026
New long-term deal is latest addition to country’s rapidly evolving supply portfolio as it eyes role as regional gas hub
