Shell has discovered a large oil field in the Gulf of Mexico. It lies at a depth of 2,200 metres below sea level.

A first test drilling found an oil layer 162 metres thick. A second test down to eight kilometres found an additional layer of 100 metres.

Shell has an 80 percent stake in the project. Canadian company Nexen owns the rest. Both companies co-operate in a number of projects in the Gulf of Mexico.