When British cartographers mapped what was to become the Gulf of Mexico coast of the US, back in the 1760s, the governor of West Florida George Johnstone concluded that the importance of the region “exceeds the most sanguine expectations.” The US oil and gas industry would echo the same sentiments today. Production from the deep water of the US Gulf of Mexico is set to hit a new record high this year, with three significant new platforms coming on stream. Wood Mackenzie’s Lens database projects output in 2022 will average about 2.3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, up from about 1.3 million boe/d in 2012. ... (full story)