07-07-08 Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell has advanced its Ursa-Princess water flood project in the Ursa-Mars basin in the Gulf of Mexico. Shell made the first injection of water on 3 July and is planned to continue for the next 30 years.
The water flood is expected to extend the life of the field by 10 years with a listed volume enhancement capacity of 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent.

The Ursa-Princess has produced nearly 400 mm boe to date and the potential exists for continued development of material oil and natural gas within the basin said the company. The Ursa-Princess Water flood is one of the largest construction projects on an existing platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ursa is in 3,800 feet (1,158 metres) of water and is made up of the Mississippi Canyon blocks 808, 809, 810, 852, 853 and 854. Princess is in Mississippi Canyon blocks 765 and 766, in about 3650 feet of water.

Shell is operator of this project with 45 %; BP Exploration & Production has 23 %; ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips each have 16 %.