Shell has started production from the Stones development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico using a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.
Stones is expected to produce about 50,000 b/d oil equivalent (boe/d) when fully operational at the end of 2017.
The field is considered the deepest operating field in the world, using subsea production equipment sitting in 9,500ft (2,900m) of water. The field is located about 200 miles southwest of New Orleans.
Unlike fixed production platforms that send oil through pipelines, FPSOs are tanker-like vessels that store crude until the oil can be offloaded onto other ships for transport.
