'Drill, Baby, Drill': White House cheers first production from new Gulf of America oil field
The first oil production from a joint U.S.-French corporate venture in the Gulf of America was a welcome indication that President Donald Trump’s agenda to "unleash American energy dominance" is taking shape, the White House told FOX Business.
American energy titan Chevron and French firm TotalEnergies announced the start of production last week from the deep-water Ballymore oil field off the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi, in what is a 60-40 partnership favoring the Texas company.
"President Trump’s agenda is restoring America’s energy dominance, resulting in a new oil partnership to the Gulf of America to ‘Drill, Baby, Drill," said Taylor Rogers, a White House spokesperson.
"New oil production will continue to increase because energy leaders are confident in the president’s commitment to unleash American energy, roll back stifling regulations, reduce our reliance on foreign countries’ dirty oil, and deliver economic relief to the American people," Rogers told FOX Business when asked about the announcement.
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Chevron is the official operator of the oil lease, according to the company, which said in a statement to FOX Business that the start of production is only the latest step toward a company-wide goal to produce 300,000 net-barrels of oil per day from the Gulf of America through 2026.
"Ballymore is expected to produce up to 75,000 gross barrels of oil per day through three wells tied back three miles to the existing Chevron-operated Blind Faith facility," Chevron added.
The operation is a tieback – or one that is linked to a nearby operation – to Chevron's Blind Faith platform about three miles away.
Brent Gros, vice president of Chevron Gulf of America, called Ballymore a prime example of how the company is leveraging its technology and increasing efficiency to produce "affordable, reliable energy from the deep-water Gulf of America – one of the lowest carbon intensity oil and gas-producing basins in the world."
"Ballymore, which was completed on time and on budget, brings additional production online without building a new standalone offshore platform," Gros said, adding that dynamic reduces costs and provides more returns for shareholders.
The Ballymore field has an estimated potentially recoverable lode of 150 million barrels and is geographically located in what is called the Mississippi Canyon at a depth of 6,600 feet.
Nicolas Terraz, TotalEnergies president of exploration and production, said in a separate statement that the U.S. is a "major market" for the company’s integrated energy model focusing on low-emissions oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) developments.
While headquartered in Paris, TotalEnergies has been active in the U.S. since 1957, according to a company statement. It has invested nearly $11 billion stateside in energy development since 2022.
It also bills itself the lead exporter of American LNG.
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"We need more energy – lots more, not constrained supply or politically driven restrictions," added Energy Secretary Chris Wright in comments to FOX Business.
"The start of production from the Ballymore field is an example of the common-sense energy development that strengthens our energy future while also providing good-paying American jobs," he said.
"The Trump administration is working to expand the production of affordable, reliable and abundant American energy," Wright concluded.